Dr Yaniv Voller, an expert in Middle Eastern politics and conflict at the University’s School of Politics and International Relations, provides an explainer on the US and UK airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen:
‘The Anglo-American airstrikes on Houthi targets in northwestern Yemen comes after weeks of a Houthi siege on the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which connects the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea. The Houthis are a religious-political rebel movement originating in the northern Yemeni highlands, which overtook substantial parts of Yemen in 2014 in protest of the marginalisation of their community by the central government.
‘As a result of the outbreak of violence between Israel and Hamas in October, the Houthis, a Shi’a Islamist movement, have sided with Hamas in the conflict and launched attacks on alleged Israeli ships crossing Bab al-Mandab on their way to or from the Red Sea. Observers have also pointed out the Houthis’ key ally in the region, Iran, as the main driver behind the Houthi attacks, using the movement as a proxy against its regional enemy, Israel.
‘The Houthis have vowed to limit their attacks to ships heading to or from Israel. However, their attacks have become more widespread, targeting ships travelling to various destinations. Fearing for their ships and staff, most shipping companies have diverted their ships from the route between the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean, which goes through the Suez Canal, instead taking the longer route across Africa and the Atlantic. This rerouting has increased consumer prices and economic damage to regional economies, particularly Egypt, which relies heavily on the taxation of ships crossing the Suez Canal. The US and its allies set an ultimatum to the Houthis to cease their attacks, which the Houthis have rebuffed.
‘The joint attack, therefore, is a response to the Houthi’s refusal to cease their aggression. However, the aerial attacks may not deter the Houthis from continuing their attack. Hence, the operation may escalate and take different forms in the coming weeks…’
Dr Yaniv Voller is a Senior Lecturer in Middle East Politics at the University of Kent’s School of Politics and International Relations and a regular commentator on affairs in the Middle East. He has previously has been interviewed and quoted by the BBC, Aljazeera, i News, Global Radio and other news platforms. His research focuses on civil wars, separatism, militias, geopolitics, diasporas and international politics in the Middle East. Dr Voller is available for exclusive comment and interviews. Please contact pressoffice@kent.ac.uk for any requests.