What the entry of the Houthis means for the US-Iran conflict

Written by: Maj Gen (retd) Prof G G Dwivedi6 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Jul 28, 2026 04:50 PM IST Saudi airstrikes on the Sanaa International Airport compound in Yemen. APIt’s now five months since the US and Israel launched a joint military offensive against Iran. Conceived as a short, high-intensity campaign, it instead morphed into a contest of attrition with no immediate end in sight. Despite the US-Israel military superiority, Iran succeeded in gaining strategic leverage through its counter-actions. Owing to the grossly divergent positions taken by the belligerents, the fragile ceasefire brokered through mediators last month stands violated. Now, the entry of Yemen’s Houthi militant group, threatening shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, has potentially opened up a second front.T