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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Cara Anna and Fatma Khaled

Yemen risks a return to civil war as Iran-backed rebels target a crucial shipping route

Middle East Yemen Houthis Explainer - (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Yemen is moving closer to a return to civil war. The escalating events in the Arab world's poorest country are closely linked to the war in Iran and global efforts to ship oil out of the Gulf region.

Here’s a look at an emerging conflict involving an Iranian-backed rebel group's efforts to keep neighboring Saudi Arabia from using a crucial shipping alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, and how that could tear Yemen apart once more.

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