Gulf foes risk all-out war by brinkmanship
Source: economist.com
- All sides in a Gulf War are escalating tensions through military posturing and threats.
- Saudi Arabia leads a coalition bombing Yemen's Houthi rebels, who fire missiles at Riyadh despite a truce.
- Overplaying hands risks regional war, drawing in Iran and disrupting global oil supplies.
Saudi Arabia and its allies are bombing Houthi positions in Yemen after the rebels launched missiles at the kingdom, even as a shaky truce holds. The Houthis, backed by Iran, vow more attacks unless Israel halts its Gaza campaign. The article argues that Saudi restraint so far masks deeper risks of miscalculation by all parties - Riyadh, the Houthis and Tehran - which could spiral into a broader conflict. This matters because the Gulf's stability underpins global energy markets and could entangl