How the Iran-Backed Houthis Cornered Saudi Arabia

“For more than four years, a fragile truce prevailed in Yemen, where a Saudi-led military coalition and the Iran-backed Houthi militia had fought a war that pushed the country to the brink of famine,” the New York Times reports.

“The limbo was most likely never going to last. Talks toward a durable peace deal had stalled, and the Houthis were growing increasingly frustrated. Saudi officials — distracted by other crises and loath to return to combat — hoped the stalemate would hold a bit longer.”

“Into this tinderbox, the U.S. war with Iran flung a spark. Over the past few weeks, the Houthis and Saudi Arabia have rapidly spiraled into a conflict that could expand into a full-blown war.”