Saudi Arabia Launches Airstrikes in Yemen, Chance of Invasion Grows

Saudi Arabia has begun airstrikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen as a Saudi invasion of that country becomes more and more likely.

The New York Times reports that Saudi Arabia and nine other countries began airstrikes against Houthi positions throughout Yemen. These nations have also established a naval blockade of the small desert nation, foreshadowing shortages and price increase of goods across the economic spectrum.

Egypt is among those participating in the blockade and airstrikes, and Egypt's dictator President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said that Egypt would be willing to send its soldiers into Yemen. It has been reported that the Egyptian military is already in the midst of planning a ground invasion.

Any invasion has been made easier by the fact that reports strongly suggest the Saudi Air Force has essentially destroyed the Yemeni Air Force, which had thrown its lot in with the Houthis.

These countries' decision to become involved in the Yemeni civil war is due to the fact that the Houthis who are currently dominating the battlefield are religiously and politically aligned with Iran. In addition to the Houthis, a variety of armed groups are at play in Yemen including Al Qaeda, and remnants of the former government.

As chaos in Yemen spreads, the price of oil, which has been abnormally low, increased 4 percent. This is because a large percentage of the world's oil supply must transit the Suez Canal, and Yemen directly abuts the seaways used to access the canal.

It is unclear exactly why Egypt would be willing to risk so many lives by invading Yemen just to stem Iranian influence. Safeguarding the large amounts of revenue from the canal the Egyptian state is reliant on may be a large factor in the Egyptian military's strategic thinking than the checking of Iran's regional influence.