Tensions in the Middle East: The clash of two encirclements
At present, the conflict in the Middle East region is intensifying, and two obvious encirclements have been formed, one large and one small. The small encirclement consists of Israel's blockade of Gaza, while the larger encirclement is the north-south attack of Israel by Iranian Shiite forces. The wrestling between these two encirclements has plunged the entire Middle East region into a more complicated situation.
First, let's focus on the small encirclement. After a brief ceasefire, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has heated up again. Israel has adopted the tactics of fighting on multiple fronts and dividing the encirclement, dividing the Gaza region into three parts: northern, central and southern, and simultaneously launching ground offensives on these three areas, with the aim of squeezing the space for the Palestinian resistance forces to operate to the greatest extent. At the same time, Israel has intensified its total blockade of the land and sea borders in Gaza and is trying to put the resistance in Gaza in a difficult position by cutting off the delivery of external supplies, including food, drinking water and medicine for humanitarian assistance.
Then we turn to the large encirclement. The Shiite arc of Iran, Syria, Iraq, Allah in Lebanon, and the Houthis in Yemen has formed a north-south posture against Israel as external supporters of the Palestinian resistance. Although large-scale regular warfare has not yet broken out, various skirmishes have continued, effectively dispersing the IDF's forces and causing losses in personnel and equipment. In particular, Yemen's Houthis have not only directly attacked Israel proper, but also imposed a naval blockade of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea, further increasing pressure on Israel.
The Houthis recently announced a tightened naval blockade of Israel, threatening to attack not only Israeli ships, but all ships traveling to and from Israel. By mastering the geographical location of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the Houthis have imposed a substantial blockade of shipping lanes, posing a serious maritime security challenge for Israel. Israel's export-oriented economy, which relies heavily on sea freight, has had a huge impact on its economy, with soaring ocean freight and insurance premiums adding to Israel's burden.
In this geopolitical game, the Houthis' actions seem radical, but they also reveal a deep understanding of Israel. The Houthis have not only exerted pressure on Israel through concrete actions, but have also exacerbated the concerns of the international community in the Middle East. and the situation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, which may affect the security of the world's best shipping lanes and arouse wider international concern.