Iran conflict persists six months after US-Israeli military strikes

Six months after the United States and Israel launched air strikes against Iran in late February, the conflict remains unresolved. While the initial military campaign aimed to degrade Iran's capabilities or force regime change, observers note that the strikes failed to collapse the Iranian government. Instead, political shifts within Iran have led to the rise of more extreme hardliners.

In Yemen, the Houthi movement (Ansar Allah) has transitioned from a period of relative restraint to active military engagement. Following a dispute with Saudi Arabia regarding landing permissions for an Iranian aircraft in Sanaa, the Houthis have resumed attacks on Saudi Arabian targets, including Aramco facilities and vessels in the Red Sea.

These actions have effectively ended the stability provided by the 2022 UN-mediated ceasefire. Analysts suggest the Houthis are not merely acting as a proxy for Iran, but are leveraging the regional instability to reopen long-standing domestic fronts against the Saudi-backed Yemeni government and to increase their geopolitical influence via the Bab al-Mandab strait.