Emerging Quad of North African and Middle East Middle Powers

 World Politics Review published on 10 March 2026 an analysis titled "War and Disorder Are Mobilizing the Middle East's Middle Powers" by Dalia Ghanem and Ahmed Morsy, both with the Middle East Council on Global Affairs in Doha.  

A new loosely aligned "statist Quad" of traditional middle powers--Algeria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey--is trying to reassert itself and actively coordinate on the region's most volatile crises.  The four countries are fundamentally statist powers that view governing systems in which centralized authority, often with the military as its backbone, as the sole guarantor of social order.

Acting sometimes in concert, sometimes on their own, they are seeking to intervene in a regional order whose current chaos poses an existential threat to their national interests.  They have focused so far on the crises in Iran, Yemen, Sudan, Somaliland, Libya, and the Sahel region of Africa.  

Egypt Reviving Suez Canal Following Houthi Red Sea Attacks

 The Washington Post published on 21 January 2026 an article titled "How Egypt Is Reviving the Suez Canal after Maritime Attacks Sank Traffic" by Claire Parker and Heba Farouk Mahfouz.

Attacks beginning in 2023 by the Houthis in Yemen on international shipping in the Red Sea interrupted maritime traffic through the Suez Canal, forcing most ships to reroute around the Cape of Good Hope.  The Suez Canal provided Egypt in 2023 with $10.2 billion in revenue and accounted for 12 to 15 percent of global maritime trade.  

The Houthis have ended most attacks, maritime traffic is increasing, and Suez Canal revenue for Egypt is picking up.  If the Gaza ceasefire holds, international shipping through the Red Sea and Suez Canal is expected to increase further, adding to Egyptian revenue.  

Yemen: US Policy and Red Sea Attacks

 The Congressional Research Service published on 22 July 2025 a brief paper titled "Yemen: Conflict, Red Sea Attacks, and U.S. Policy" by Christopher M. Blanchard.  

This is a concise background of the political situation in Yemen, U.S. policy towards Yemen, and the status of Houthi attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea.

Yemen's Houthis Renew Attacks on Red Sea Shipping

 The Wall Street Journal published on 7 July 2025 an article titled "Houthis Attack Ship in Red Sea for First Time Since Trump Announced a Truce" by Dov Lieber and Benoit Faucon.  

A Houthi attack disabled a Liberian-flagged and Greek-owned ship near the port of Hodeidah in the Red Sea.  This was the first Houthi attack since President Trump halted airstrikes on the Houthis in May.  Recent Israeli airstrikes on the Houthis may have precipitated the new attacks on international shipping.  

What to Watch for as US Strikes Houthis in Yemen

 Newsweek published on 2 May 2025 an article titled "U.S. War on the Houthis: Five Things to Watch" by Amira El-Fekki.

US airstrikes on the Houthis in Yemen is the first major military operation ordered by the current Trump administration.  The article identifies five key issues to watch for going forward.  

Impact of Houthi Attacks on Global Trade

 Bloomberg published on 1 May 2025 an article titled "How the Houthi Red Sea Ship Attacks Upended Global Trade" by Alex Langley, Paul Wallace, and Caroline Alexander.

Houthi attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea have caused the biggest disruption to global trade since the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing many ships to reroute around the southern tip of Africa.  Since November 2023, the Iranian-backed Houthis attacked more than 130 vessels in the Red Sea as of early March 2025.  Traffic through the Red Sea is 71 percent lower than 2023 levels and insurance is as much as ten times higher.  

Can Airstrikes on Iran-backed Houthis Annihilate Them?

 The New York Times published on 18 April 2025 an article titled "U.S. Strikes on Yemeni Port Kills Dozens, Houthis Say" by Aaron Boxerman and Vivian Nereim.

President Trump has vowed to annihilate the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.  But as US airstrikes continue, the Houthis keep firing back, raising the question whether airstrikes can end the Houthi attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea.  

Will the US End the Threat Posed by Yemen's Houthi Rebels?

 The Council on Foreign Relations published on 21 March 2025 a commentary titled "The Siege of the Red Sea" by Michael Froman.

Large scale US air strikes on the Houthi rebels in Yemen by the Trump administration have escalated the attacks beyond what was done during the Biden administration.  Nevertheless, the Houthis remain defiant, and the outcome of this campaign remains uncertain.  

Do US Air Strikes Signal Game Over for the Houthis?

 Foreign Policy published on 19 March 2025 an analysis titled "Is This Game Over for the Houthis?" by Burcu Ozcelik and Baraa Shiban, both at the Royal United Services Institute.

The shift in US policy under the Trump administration from targeted air strikes to a more aggressive campaign marks a significant escalation in the attacks on the Houthis in Yemen.  The Houthis see themselves as playing the role that Hezbollah once played.  

Most observers agree that a ground operation by US forces is unlikely, which means there is a clear limitation to how much the US can achieve through airstrikes alone.  The Houthis are counting on the US losing interest over the course of a protracted air campaign.  

Shipping Industry Reluctant to Return to Red Sea/Suez Canal

 The New York Times published on 21 March 2025 an article titled "Why the Shipping Industry Isn't Rushing Back to the Red Sea" by Peter Eavis.

Shipping executives who have been routing ships around Africa to avoid Houthi attacks rather than through the Suez Canal and Red Sea say they have no intention of returning to the shorter Red Sea route until there is a Middle East peace accord that includes the Houthis, or they are militarily defeated decisively.

Seeking Stability in the Red Sea Region

 The International Crisis Group published on 21 March 2025 an analysis titled "Calming the Red Sea's Turbulent Waters."

The lengthy study concluded: "Now that the ceasefire has collapsed, renewed salvos between the U.S. and the Houthis, as well as the Houthis and Israel, amid rising tensions between Western states and Iran, and the potential for a fresh upsurge in fighting in Yemen have cast a darkening pall over the region.  Lasting stability in the Red Sea will depend on steering these conflicts toward a peaceful conclusion." 

Possible Resumption of Houthi Attacks on Red Sea Shipping

 The Maritime Executive published on 5 March 2025 an article titled "Risks of Houthi Attacks on Shipping Increase."

On January 19, the Houthi leadership in Yemen suspended attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden so long as the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel held.  A resumption of hostilities would likely result in new Houthi attacks on shipping.  

The Palestine Chronicle posted on 8 March 2025 an article titled "Ansarallah Gives Israel 4 Days to Allow Gaza Aid or Face Red Sea Operations."

The Houthis announced on 7 March that they will resume attacks on "Israeli targets" within 4 days if Israel does not allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Houthis Emerge from Red Sea Shipping Attacks Unscathed

 Geopolitical Monitor published on 19 February 2025 an analysis titled "Houthis Emerge from Red Sea Shipping Crisis Unscathed" by Paulo Aguiar.

Since the beginning of their attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in 2023, the Houthis have steadily gained military strength and political leverage, fueled their recruitment, and increased their foothold in northern Yemen.  While US, UK, and Israeli airstrikes have targeted missile launch sites, radar systems, and storage facilities, they have not significantly degraded the Houthis' fundamental military capabilities.   

Shipping Companies Hesitant to Return to Red Sea

 The New York Times published on 24 January 2025 an article titled "More Ships May Return to the Red Sea If Houthis Hold Their Fire" by Peter Eavis.

The Houthis have signaled that they have suspended attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, but shipping lines say they will return only when they are convinced their vessels will not be attacked.

Houthis Say They Will Limit Red Sea Attacks

 The Associated Press published on 20 January 2025 an article titled "Yemen's Houthis Signal They'll Limit Attacks in Red Sea Corridor to Israeli Ships" by Jon Gambrell.

The Houthis in Yemen notified shippers on 19 January they will limit future attacks in the Red Sea corridor to Israeli-affiliated ships.  The Houthis say they are ending attacks on other ships they previously targeted since November 2023.  

Houthis Claim Attacks on US Navy Carrier Strike Group

 The US Naval Institute News published on 17 January 2025 an article titled "Houthis Claim 7th Strike on Carrier Truman as Red Sea Conflict Continues" by Heather Mongilio.

Houthis in Yemen announced that they had carried out their 7th attack on the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group in the Red Sea.  While the US has not officially responded to these claims, they appear to fall in the category of misinformation.  

Lull in Houthi Red Sea Attacks

 Seatrade Maritime News published on 14 January 2025 an article titled "Over One Month since Last Confirmed Red Sea Attack on Shipping" by Gary Howard.

The last confirmed Houthi attack on Red Sea shipping took place on 10 December.  This has been the quietest period for Houthi attacks since they began in late 2023.  The likely explanation is the reduced availability of suitable targets and the military intervention by the United States and United Kingdom. 

Challenges Houthis Pose for New US Administration in Red Sea

 The Middle East Eye published on 4 November 2024 an article titled "US Elections 2024: Can the Next US President Roll Back the Houthis' Power in the Red Sea?" by Sean Mathews.  

The article provides a good analysis of the challenges facing the next US administration as it deals with the Houthi threat to international shipping in the Red Sea.

Egypt Linked to Horn of Africa Challenges

 World Politics Review published on 31 October 2024 a commentary titled "Egypt's Future Increasingly Passes Through the Horn of Africa" by Francisco Serrano.  

With both its water resources from upstream Nile River countries such as Ethiopia and Suez Canal revenue now dependent on events in the Horn of Africa and Red Sea, this region has become a strategic focus for Egypt.  

Impact on Yemen of Houthi Red Sea Attacks

 The New Delhi-based Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses published on 25 September 2024 an analysis titled "The Houthi Attacks in the Red Sea: Impact on Yemen" by Prasanta Kumar Pradhan.  

The Red Sea conflict has created new obstacles in the intra-Yemeni dialogue, slowing the pace of talks and further eroding trust among the parties.  The delivery of humanitarian assistance to the people is also disrupted.  These developments are worsening Yemen's political, security, and economic situation, making the prospects for peace more tenuous.