Despite threats to the de facto cease-fire in Yemen's civil war, economic vulnerabilities will likely constrain the Houthis while Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates continue to disengage from the conflict; a major escalation in fighting is thus unlikely, and even if the Houthis attack Gulf energy infrastructure, there would likely be space for de-escalation. Since the Israel-Hamas war broke out in Gaza in October 2023, Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi militants have attacked Israel and Israeli-linked shipping in the Red Sea in solidarity with Palestinians. Over the past year, these attacks have garnered far more attention than the domestic and regional security threats generated by the Houthis' ongoing war in Yemen against the Saudi-backed coalition supporting the internationally recognized Yemeni government. However, multiple events have threatened to escalate the conflict in Yemen, which has been in a de facto cease-fire since April 2022. In July 2024, the Houthis threatened to...
