A former senior CIA official and military analyst said recent Houthi advances
have put the US in a bind: if Washington cannot back Saudi Arabia, Riyadh may be
driven to reconcile with Iran to offset a sharp drop in oil exports. He called
the Houthis Iran’s most effective proxy, able to withstand strikes by Saudi
Arabia, the UAE and the US. Monday’s Oman meeting on the Strait of Hormuz was
cancelled — a key signal that may reflect a US request to delay while consulting
Saudi Arabia on a coordinated response.