As I earlier predicted, the Houthi rebels in Yemen appear to have “crossed the line” in attacking commerce in the Red Sea and Suez Canal.
I believe that the Houthis will use the responses of the US and the coalition of interested parties against them to try to draw Iran into a wider “warfare” with its traditional enemies who make up the coalition.
Of course, it does appear that past Iranian rhetoric against the US and Israel indicates that Iran would almost relish the opportunity of going to war with elements of the West, but one suspects that in terms of being ready for such warfare, it is too early to engage.
It appears that Iran will be faced with two choices in the short-term. It could continue to condemm the responses of the coalition, while exercising control over Iran’s Houthi proxies. Conversely, Iran could buy into the fray “boots and all”, knowing that if it did so, Israel — if not the US as well — would bomb its nuclear facilities out of existence.
Such an ignition of the political powder keg in the region would not ease the suffering of the Palestinians, but make it insufferably worse — if that were possible.
