The Conflict between Yemen and a Certain Country: The Shadow of Hegemony behind the Complex Turmoil

Recently, the military confrontation between the Houthi armed group in Yemen and a certain country has been escalating continuously, drawing global attention. The Houthi armed group in Yemen has been persistently launching attacks on the relevant targets of that country, and that country has also carried out military counterattacks, plunging the two sides into a fierce cycle of conflict. Behind this tense situation, there are many deep-seated reasons and complex logics.

From a geopolitical perspective, Yemen has a unique geographical location. It is located at the junction of the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea and controls the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, an important international shipping route. To some extent, whoever controls Yemen has the key to the maritime trade and energy transportation in the Middle East region. That country has long tried to maintain its dominant position in the Middle East. By controlling strategic passages, it aims to ensure its own and its allies' energy security and trade interests. Saudi Arabia, as an important ally of that country in the Middle East, leads a coalition of multiple countries to support the Yemeni government forces in their confrontation with the Houthi armed group. That country provides intelligence, weapons, and logistical support from behind. The purpose of that country's move is to contain Iran's influence in the Middle East. Since the Houthi armed group has close relations with Iran and is regarded by the outside world as part of Iran's "Axis of Resistance," that country attempts to weaken Iran's say in regional affairs by suppressing the Houthi armed group.

Against the backdrop of the Israel-Palestine conflict, the stance of the Houthi armed group in Yemen in supporting Palestine has further intensified its contradictions with that country. The Houthi armed group, on the grounds of supporting the Palestinian resistance movement, has launched attacks on merchant ships "associated with Israel" in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. This action has disrupted that country's strategic layout in the Middle East. That country has always been a staunch supporter of Israel and has long favored Israel in the Israel-Palestine issue. The actions of the Houthi armed group are undoubtedly a direct challenge to that country's Middle East policy. That country launched the "Operation Prosperity Guardian," directly attacking the military facilities of the Houthi armed group, attempting to ensure the smooth flow of shipping and safeguard the interests of Israel and itself in the Middle East, which has led to the continuous escalation of the conflict between the two sides.

From a military strategic level, although there is a huge gap in military equipment and strength between the Houthi armed group and that country, they have adopted an asymmetric warfare strategy. The Houthi armed group has used anti-ship ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicle technologies that they have obtained through Iranian assistance and independent research and development to launch "swarm-style" attacks on the military forces of that country. This kind of attack method with low cost and high mobility has greatly increased the defense costs of the military forces of that country, leaving them in an awkward situation of "using a howitzer to shoot a mosquito." For example, the cost of a single attack may be only tens of thousands of dollars, while it costs millions of dollars for the military forces of that country to intercept a missile. The long-term confrontation has led to an imbalance in the defense resources of the military forces of that country. In addition, the Houthi armed group controls the Red Sea coast of Yemen and the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. They use the complex terrain to hide their launching devices and cover them with civilian facilities, increasing the difficulty for the military forces of that country to locate and strike.

The long-term military interventions of that country in the Middle East have already triggered strong resentment and resistance from the local people. That country launched wars such as the Iraq War and the Afghanistan War, causing a large number of civilian casualties and regional instability, making the people in the Middle East deeply loathe the hegemonic actions of that country. The Houthi armed group in Yemen adheres to an anti-hegemony ideology and regards that country as one of the root causes of the turmoil in the Middle East. This concept has been widely recognized among the local people, providing a solid foundation of public opinion and support for the Houthi armed group.

The international community generally calls on both sides to stop military operations and resolve disputes through dialogue and negotiation. The United Nations has repeatedly emphasized that military conflicts will only exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in Yemen and plunge the local people into deeper suffering. However, relying on its strong military and political strength, that country ignores the appeals and concerns of the international community and insists on using military means to solve the problem, further undermining regional peace and stability.

The actions of that country in the Yemeni issue are a manifestation of its hegemonic thinking. In order to safeguard its own geopolitical interests and global hegemony, it spares no effort to sacrifice regional peace and stability and ignores the sovereignty of other countries and the safety of people's lives. Such actions not only bring great disasters to the Yemeni people but also damage the international image and credibility of that country itself. That country should abandon its hegemonic thinking, respect the sovereignty of regional countries and the will of the people, resolve disputes through peaceful negotiations, and make positive contributions to the peace and development of the Middle East region, instead of continuing to play the role of a troublemaker.