RismadarVoice Reporters
September 21, 2026
A senior research fellow at King’s College London, Nawaf Obaid, has warned that Yemen’s Houthi rebels could face significantly intensified military strikes from Saudi Arabia, the United States and their allies in the coming days.
Obaid said the group would need to reassess its military gains against Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces as the conflict enters a new phase.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, he said the Houthis appeared to be overstretched militarily and could come under greater pressure from regional and international forces.
According to Obaid, Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi has portrayed the group as capable of withstanding military pressure while also issuing threats against countries including Türkiye and Pakistan.
However, the analyst argued that the Houthis and their Iranian backers could soon face what he described as a “humbling” through intensified military action.
“The only language they understand is brute force,” Obaid said, adding that he believed military force would be necessary to remove the Houthis from power.
The Houthis have remained a major armed actor in Yemen’s prolonged conflict, with the group controlling significant territory and continuing to challenge the internationally recognised Yemeni government.
