Satellite images reveal a new 2,000-meter airstrip under construction on Yemen’s Zugar Island in the Red Sea, likely built by UAE-backed anti-Houthi forces. The project, starting in April, enhances a network of regional bases for aerial surveillance over key shipping routes, including the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, amid Houthi attacks on over 100 vessels during the Israel-Hamas war. The island, retaken from Houthis in 2015 by UAE-supported groups like those led by Tariq Saleh, could aid in intercepting Houthi weapons smuggling. UAE involvement is suspected, given similar runway projects in Yemen. Analysts suggest it counters Houthi activities without signaling an imminent offensive, as an anti-Houthi coalitions remain fragmented despite U.S. and Israeli strikes.
The Houthis are an existing Islamic political rebellist group which occupies Yemen and the surrounding territories. These attacks are an example of what happens when there is no state of order in a region. People are distracted by the main conflict and neglect other issues happening. It makes it possible for terrorist groups to operate without much attention on them. This event is also an example of how because there isn’t a specific dominant power in the middle east, there is no one to establish order. Because there is no hegemon actor, states are fighting to achieve this position, or at least obtain power over what they perceive as threats. Houthis are smuggling weapons in attempts to accumulate power through military force. Lack of order within a region leads to conflict and violence, which destabilizes each state and deters the growth of the region.
Possible solutions to these forms of attacks include a larger country (or countries) stepping in, such as the UAE might be doing so, and implementing security and safety through acting as a regional superpower. If the US steps in, it could create competition between US forces and states which are threatened by the US. To control terrorist activity, regional actors and their alliances could cooperate to monitor rebellist groups and support territories who are affected by terrorist attacks and smuggling.
This event is an example of the concept of realism and how it affects international relations. Everybody wants power and control, specifically groups who believe that they can ensure themselves as a dominant prescence through force. The idea of being a regional superpower (hegemon) often motivates smaller political groups, such as the Houthis, to attack other actors in order to protect themselves and what they believe is “right”.