Countering the Houthi Threat to Shipping: Regional Implications and U.S. Policy

Missile, drone, and small-boat attacks in the Red Sea region are nothing new, but the current uptick in Houthi aggression has drawn in the U.S. Navy, raised questions about the depth of Iran’s involvement, and forced commercial ships to take more expensive routes around Africa. With near-daily attacks by U.S. and allied forces against Houthi installations, how effective is the Western response, and what implications does the conflict hold for the situation inside Yemen? What role will key regional players not in the anti-Houthi maritime coalition—Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates—likely play? And what economic, military, and diplomatic repercussions might unfold if the threat persists? To discuss these questions, The Washington Institute is pleased to announce a virtual Policy Forum with: Simon Henderson, the Baker Fellow at The Washington Institute and director of its Bernstein Program on Gulf and Energy Policy. Michael Knights, the Institute’s Bernstein Fellow, cofounder of its Militia Spotlight platform, and author of its new study “An Heir and a Spare? How Yemen’s ‘Southern Hezbollah’ Could Change Iran’s Deterrent Calculus.” Noam Raydan, a senior fellow at the Institute and co-creator of its soon-to-be-published interactive map tracking attacks throughout the Red Sea region.