Saudi-Houthi conflicts have led to concerns. The two Arab parties have been carrying out cross-border strikes and exchanging fire in a sharp escalation over the last few days, leading to several deaths and the displacement of more than 100,000. Renewed conflicts started when the Houthis declared a complete naval blockade on Saudi-linked ships in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in July 2026. But their renewed conflicts are taking place amid ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, including the Iran War and the renewed PLC-Houthi escalation. But — more importantly — how much the renewed Saudi-Houthi conflict will end still remains uncertain.
Though conflicts have suddenly broken out between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis, they have been fighting for around a decade. Saudi Arabia, which formed the Arab Coalition in 2015, has carried out attacks in Yemen, especially against Houthi targets over the years in favor of the government of Yemen, which has been in decades-long conflicts, resulting in retaliatory strikes. Though the 2022 Truce between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis has ended large-scale offensive and cross-border operations between the two parties, renewed conflicts can lead to an escalation. Various reasons, including animosity between the two parties, the Houthis’ support for Iran, and Saudi’s support for the Yemeni government, can lead to further escalation.
But the chance of further escalation is high if mediation efforts are not given emphasis. While the Houthis consider Saudi Arabia an unjust aggressor and enforcer of a crippling economic blockade on Yemen, the latter considers the former an illegitimate and externalized proxy for Iranian regional subversion. By this time, the two parties have been continuing their war of words — alongside cross-border strikes — without any indication of halting strikes. Moreover, the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement (MJDA) involving Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey can add a new dimension with the involvement of other parties directly in the ongoing conflict.
The three countries signed the Mecca Agreement, a collective security pact, last month. As per the deal, if any country is attacked, it will be considered an attack on all. Under such a situation, the parties will join to defend. Though no party has yet joined to defend Saudi Arabia, there is rhetoric about it. Pakistan has, by this time, threatened to join the war in the Middle East, as it pledged to defend Saudi Arabia from Houthi rebels as per the tripartite deal. Though several reasons may prevent Pakistan from joining the Saudi-Houth conflicts, including its ongoing diplomatic role and domestic factors, the chance cannot be discarded altogether if conflicts continue.
Saudi-Houthi conflicts need to be ended earlier. This will not only prevent further escalation and full-scale war, deaths, and displacement but also prevent further trouble in fuel shipments, which are already at their lowest in decades due to the Iran war and the crisis on the Strait of Hormuz, from the Middle East. A large-scale war between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis can complicate the Iran peace process too. For this, it is vital to strengthen mediation efforts to end Saudi-Houthi conflicts.
But several challenges, including differing conflicts of interest, can put barriers to ending the conflict between the two Arab parties. While Saudi Arabia wants the Houthis to withdraw its naval embargo on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the latter wants the former to completely withdraw the long-standing air, land, and sea blockades over the Houthi-controlled northern Yemen. These reciprocal expectations are related to several issues, including the long civil war in Yemen involving parties, including the PLC and the Houthis, and the Iran war — making these difficult for the mediators to address.
Without ending these related but vital causes, it is probably difficult to completely end ongoing conflicts. Mediation efforts of several countries, including Oman, which earlier mediated conflicts between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis, and Qatar, can be helpful and need to be strengthened. But even if the mediators fail to address differing conflicts of interest completely, which is likely, it is vital to end renewed cross-border strikes, along with the latest PLC-Houthi conflict, at least.
