Houthi Militia's Red Sea Attacks: A Global War Risk

Yemeni Houthi rebels launched ballistic missile attacks on three bulk carriers in the Red Sea, posing a significant escalation in the risk to commercial shipping in the region. The attacks, fully enabled by Iran, allow the Houthis to improve their standing in the Arab world and demonstrate their ability to hit targets beyond Saudi Arabia. The Houthis possess a diverse arsenal of anti-ship missiles and drones, potentially posing a threat to Red Sea shipping. While American warships have strong defenses against Houthi missiles, commercial shipping may be more vulnerable. The US may face increasing pressure to target Houthi launch and missile-storage sites in Yemen.