YEMEN , BAB AL - MANDAB AND SAUDI ARABIA : TEHRAN STRATEGIC CALCULUS IN THE BALANCE

What happened: Houthi attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure and the group's capture of the Yemeni port city of Mokha have increased pressure on Riyadh and strengthened Tehran's regional position, while Iran balances support for the Houthis against the risk of escalation. Key numbers: Mokha captured in September. Why it matters: The Mokha capture places a Saudi oil export route through Bab al-Mandab at risk, and analysts say Yemen's crisis is widening into a broader regional confrontation. Iranian sources say Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are mistaken in treating the Houthis as an Iranian proxy.

Houthi attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure and the group's capture of the Yemeni port city of Mokha have increased pressure on Riyadh and strengthened Tehran's regional position, while Iran balances support for the Houthis against the risk of escalation.

The Mokha capture places a Saudi oil export route through Bab al-Mandab at risk, and analysts say Yemen's crisis is widening into a broader regional confrontation. Iranian sources say Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are mistaken in treating the Houthis as an Iranian proxy.