The French fear being dragged into polarisation and conflict between the US and Iran, which would reduce their own sphere of influence
Media mentions – Yemen
Voters’ awareness of foreign policy might be limited, but with Covid, and the war in Ukraine, and to an extent with Brexit, [that has now changed]
Anand Menon analyses Rishi Sunak’s recent foreign policy in light of the Houthi attacks on vessels in the Red Sea
It would be just too much of a provocation and they know very well, and Iran knows very well, that would (trigger) inevitably the beginning of a much broader US-led international mission in Yemen
The American military response, however, was calibrated to avoid any slippage and possible escalation
The international community’s response to the Houthi attacks is limited and can only have a partial effect: we cannot fully protect such a vast sea as the Red Sea
The Houthis are strengthening their bargaining power against Saudi Arabia, with whom they’ve been trying for months to reach an agreement on the partition of power in Yemen