Saudi Response to Houthis’ Attacks on Ships May Be a New War

NEW: Weeks of Houthi attacks on Saudi targets have brought the kingdom and the Iranian-backed militia to the brink of full-blown conflict, analysts say, potentially opening a new front in the Iran war.

Saudi Arabia and the Houthis are on the brink of a full blown war.

Weeks of Houthi attacks on Saudi targets have pushed the kingdom toward direct conflict with the Iranian backed militia, and analysts now say a real shooting war is a live possibility. These are the fighters Riyadh spent years trying to contain, and they're back to hitting Saudi assets, including ships.

The bigger worry is what this plugs into. This wouldn't be a standalone fight, it would open a new front in the wider Iran war, and that's exactly the escalation everyone in the region has been trying to avoid. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spent the last few years trying to exit Yemen, not re enter it. Now his hand may be forced.

A Saudi response is coming in some form. The question is whether it stays limited, or becomes the next war. That's where this stands.

This is Sara White, reporting for HIT.