The end of the ceasefire in Yemen without any substantial political understanding between the government and the Houthis heightens the risk of escalation of violence.
The recent Houthi attacks on the UAE have widened the ambit of the ongoing war in Yemen, and are likely to prolong the instability in and around Yemen and hinder the regional and international efforts towards establishing peace in the country.
Iran’s readiness for restoring diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia after six years since Riyadh cut ties in January 2016 is part of broader revival of diplomacy in the region after a decade of intense geopolitical competition and proxy wars involving Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies and Turkey & Iran.
Yemeni crisis has been a challenge for Saudi Arabia’s standing and reputation as the leader of the Arab and the Islamic world. It is caught between the resilience of the Houthis to sustain their fight, and the growing cost of war and the allegations of innocents being victims of their air strikes.
Facing huge political and security challenges in the Arabian Peninsula, Saudi Arabia now looks westward to the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden coast for a new regional security arrangement.
Riyadh committed a crime and blunder; its communication strategy, so far, has been an unmitigated disaster. MbS is facing a challenge, to put it mildly.
Crown Prince Salman has been using oil as a tool to further his political ambitions both domestically and internationally, and Saudi Aramco acts as a nucleus around which his ambitions revolve.
