On January 13th, the Houthi militia vowed to carry out a strong response after the United States (U.S.) executed another strike in Yemen overnight. The U.S. released a statement promising to protect shipping lanes in the Red Sea en route to Israel as the attacks by the Houthi escalate, further heightening the tension between the Iran-backed group and the West. The increasing conflict throughout the region has been a cause for concern since the Palestinian extremist group, Hamas, and Israel went to war. Palestine has since been aided by Iran, Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq. The people of Sana’a, the capital of Yemen, are standing in solidarity with their fellow Yemenis against the recent U.S. and British strikes.

Over the weekend, U.S. President Joe Biden addressed the situation in relation to the Houthi strikes privately to Iran, stating, “We delivered it privately and we’re confident we’re well-prepared.” A Houthi spokesperson rebutted the strikes, stating, “This new strike will have a firm, strong and effective response.” The U.S. and Britain recently initiated an attack on Friday the 12th on a nearby Houthi facility but stated that there were no “material damages.” However, the Pentagon voiced that the attacks had “good effects.” The U.S. further stated that Biden “has been trying to prevent any escalation of conflict, including the strikes last night.” The Houthi will continue to stand their ground in support for the people in Gaza. The U.S. is trying to prevent conflict in the region but prioritizes the safe passage of their ships in the Red Sea.

The strikes by the Houthi militia solidified their support for the wronged Palestinian people. Israel began its Palestinian offensive following the October 7th attack on Israel by the militant group Hamas, which killed 1,200 people and took 240 hostages. Since the first attack, 23,843 Palestinians have been killed by Israel, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Israel is facing genocide charges by the International Court of Justice because the mass number of killings of the Palestinian people in Gaza. Israel has been denying accusations of genocide and calling it a perversion of history because the country was created after the Holocaust.

It is critical that this conflict does not grow into a full-blown war between the Middle East and the United States. Any further regional conflict could lead to more instability and carnage. Each region deems the other’s actions to be “aggressive,” but neither party is gaining an advantage in the recent attacks. These reckless attacks need to come to a close, and there must be a call for urgent diplomatic action. Ending Israel’s assault on Gaza is a preliminary action that must take place to create peace in the region. As in past conflicts in the Middle East, there is no military action that is going to solve the growing tensions and strikes occurring in the region. Diplomacy is absolutely needed at this time. The United States and Israel must acknowledge the international call to ceasefire and attacks will subside.