Is the Houthi-Saudi Conflict the Start of a Broader Regional War?

In recent weeks, the conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthi rebels that control much of Yemen has exploded into intense violence, including deadly drone and missile attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. The Houthis have attempted to disrupt Saudi shipping in the Bab el-Mandeb strait, raising concerns of the possible closure of a second major chokepoint to international commercial vessels, in addition to the Strait of Hormuz, which has been partly sealed by Iran due to the war with the United States and Israel. 

What is the connection between these two conflicts? Is the new upsurge in warfare between Riyadh and the Houthis another front being opened by the pro-Iran alliance in the Middle East, or is it merely the latest upsurge in a more limited, Saudi-Houthi conflict that dates to 2015? Even if Iran didn’t initiate the new Houthi offensive, isn’t it nonetheless benefiting from the widening scope of regional violence? What are the implications for Saudi and other Gulf security calculations given the new Houthi attacks? How far will Pakistan and Turkey go, in support of Saudi Arabia, as members of the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement? What impact will these developments have on calculations by the United States and Israel in their unresolved war with Iran? And what is Europe’s role in this conflict as the United Kingdom and France provide support for Saudi Arabia?  

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