Two straight days of attacks have hit military targets in response to rising attacks on Red Sea shipping, which the Houthis linked to the war between Israel and Hamas.
U.S.-led airstrikes in Yemen could play into the agenda of the Houthis, who have built their legitimacy on hostility toward the United States and Israel, scholars said.
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken conducted marathon diplomacy around the region, but Israeli leaders, focused on war with Hamas, showed no interest in meeting demands like Palestinian statehood.
In meetings with Israeli leaders, the U.S. secretary of state held out the prospect of Saudi recognition to prod Israel to curb combat operations in Gaza and accept a path to Palestinian statehood.
The latest strikes across Israel’s northern border came as the U.S. secretary of state made another trip to the Middle East in efforts to prevent a wider war.