The Houthi group's attempt to target Riyadh, coming days after the coalition announced it had intercepted a Houthi drone south of Makkah, confirms how dangerous the continuation of the Yemeni crisis is to the security of neighboring states. And with the threat to navigation in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab continuing, the crisis's repercussions extend to the interests of the world- at a time when confrontations inside Yemen are widening and the war on Iran goes on.
The heart of the problem is that an armed group holds the decision of war outside the authority of the state, and is able to make others bear the cost of that decision. So long as the causes of the conflict remain, every de-escalation agreement is liable to collapse when domestic or regional calculations change, and postponing a solution turns into a security and economic cost that widens with every round of escalation.
Amid mounting pressure on Iran, the group took the strike on the runway of Sanaa airport last July- which Yemeni forces said was meant to prevent an Iranian aircraft from landing- as a justification for resuming its attacks on Saudi Arabia and widening the scope of the confrontation. This escalation reflects a convergence of Iranian and Houthi interests: extending the war's cost to the states of the region is something Tehran exploits in its negotiations, as do the Houthis.
The threat to navigation in Bab al-Mandab coincides with the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, compounding the risks of trade and energy supplies. International figures reveal the scale of this cost. According to the International Monetary Fund, Suez Canal revenues fell by about $6 billion in 2024 compared with the previous year, amid the Red Sea disruptions. And UNCTAD reported in March 2026 that oil-tanker freight rates had risen by more than 90 percent since late February. These indicators show how a threat to navigation turns into lost revenue and higher trade costs, even without the corridors being closed entirely. Securing these corridors is therefore an international economic interest that calls for sharing the responsibility of protecting them.
Here the importance of the Saudi-led Multinational Maritime Defense Alliance stands out, in bringing together the efforts of states to protect navigation and deter attacks on ships. Its value lies in sharing the burdens of securing the sea lanes among the states that benefit from them, and in coordinating their capabilities in a way that allows protection to continue and threats to be met quickly. That requires genuine participation in information-sharing and maritime surveillance and in supplying the necessary means, with clarity of missions and of rules for joint action.
Such efforts would limit the Houthis' ability to threaten trade routes in order to impose political conditions and would strengthen shipping companies' confidence in the safety of passage. The alliance's success depends on its ability to provide continuous protection covering ships regardless of their flag, since understandings that protect the ships of some states and leave others exposed to attack keep the danger alive and give the group room to go on pressuring states one by one. The shared interest therefore demands a coherent international position that ties freedom of navigation to the security of all users of these corridors.
Restoring the Yemeni state and its institutions remains the foundation for a sustainable peace. That requires intensified international efforts to advance a political settlement based on the Gulf Initiative and its implementation mechanism, the outcomes of the National Dialogue Conference, and the resolutions of international legitimacy, foremost among them Resolution 2216. These references provide a foundation for a settlement that preserves Yemen's unity and sovereignty and allows Yemenis to build their future through institutions capable of running the country's affairs and protecting their interests.
This course needs clear political and security arrangements that support state institutions, confine weapons to the hands of the state, and guarantee political participation governed by law.
It matters that Yemenis should feel the effect of a settlement in their daily lives- through improved services, the protection of civilians, the delivery of aid, and the provision of opportunities for a dignified living. The more peace is linked to an improvement in people's lives, the greater its chances of lasting. A successful settlement also requires regional cooperation that respects Yemen's sovereignty and the independence of its decision-making.
In this context, Iran's responsibility stands out: to abide by the relevant Security Council resolutions, support de-escalation efforts, and refrain from any military support that undermines the chances of peace. Addressing violations and holding those responsible to account, through the competent international mechanisms, also remains part of ensuring that commitments are implemented and of building trust in any future settlement.
Yemen's stability is a shared interest of its people, its neighbors, and the world- which places on the international community the responsibility of supporting a settlement that restores the state's capacity to serve its citizens and protect its sovereignty, in line with the agreed references. Yemenis' recovering their security, their livelihoods, and their confidence in their country's future gives peace a foundation to rest on, and allows Yemen to recover its role in its surroundings. Every advance in this direction is reflected in the security of its neighbors and the safety of the sea lanes on which the interests of many states and peoples depend. The world's concern for the region's security and for freedom of navigation should therefore be accompanied by a sustained commitment to helping Yemenis build a state capable of safeguarding peace and contributing to shared stability.
