Tuesday, February 6, 11:30 AM EDT
The Houthis, Iran, and Red Sea Security
Half-Day Virtual Conference: Tuesday, February 6, 2024, 11:30am - 2:00pm - Online
Keynote speech: Tim Lenderking, US Special Envoy to Yemen,
11:30am-11:45am EST
Panel 1: The Houthi's Red Sea Strategy, 11:45am-12:45pm EST
To register Panel 1: Register to attend »
Panel 2: The Iran-Hezbollah-Houthi Network, 1:00pm-2:00pm EST
To register Panel 2: Register to attend »
Since mid-October 2023, Yemen's Houthi militia has carried out repeated attacks on Red Sea maritime commerce, disrupting global trade and prompting the United States and United Kingdom to launch retaliatory airstrikes as well as label the Houthis as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist group. The Iran-backed militia claims it will continue its attacks until the war in Gaza comes to an end. What's really driving the Houthis' escalatory military activity and what does it mean for the future of Red Sea security? What is the nature of their relationship with Tehran and how do they fit into the Axis of Resistance? More pressingly, what can the US and other governments do to respond?
To discuss these critical questions, MEI is hosting a half-day conference featuring a keynote from US Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking as well as two expert panels, moderated by Amb. (ret.) Gerald Feierstein, Distinguished Senior Fellow on U.S. Diplomacy and the Director of MEI's Arabian Peninsula Affairs Program, and Alex Vatanka, Senior Fellow and Director of MEI's Iran Program.
Speakers
Keynote Speech: Tim Lenderking
U.S. Special Envoy for Yemen
Panel 1
Nadia al-Dawsari
Non-Resident Scholar, Arabian Peninsula Affairs, Middle East Institute
Ibrahim Jalal
Non-Resident Scholar, Arabian Peninsula Affairs, Middle East Institute
Gerald Feierstein (Moderator)
Distinguished Senior Fellow on U.S. Diplomacy and Director of Arabian Peninsula Affairs Program, Middle East Institute
Panel 2
Farea Al-Muslimi
Research Fellow, Middle East and North Africa Program, Chatham House
Shukriya Bradost
Security Analyst, Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Behnam Ben Taleblou
Research Fellow, Iranian Security, Foundation for Defense of Democracies
Alex Vatanka (Moderator)
Senior Fellow and Director, Iran Program, Middle East Institute