Columnist for the British newspaper The Guardian, Simon Tisdale, says that the first air strikes against the Houthis in Yemen represent another milestone in a long series of failures of Western policy in the Middle East, and the longstanding failure to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The writer says that America’s necessity, with the support of Britain, to use force – in response to the Houthi attacks that are suffocating commercial ships in the Red Sea – reflects that Washington’s political influence is diminishing, its diplomacy is ineffective, and its authority is disdained.
Iran is a hegemon
According to the article, the Houthis’ pledge to continue attacks on ships highlights another fact, which is that the dominant power in the Middle East is no longer the United States or even Israel, but rather Iran, the main ally of the Houthis.
The writer said that US President Joe Biden worked to alienate world public opinion, and many Americans, with his reckless pledge to provide unconditional support for Israel and use his veto power against the United Nations’ ceasefire plans in Gaza, adding that Biden’s policy in the Middle East seems outdated and far from reality. .
The article went on to say that Iran is now in the driving seat, and that it has major foreign policy goals: removing the United States from the Middle East, maintaining regional superiority, strengthening key alliances with China and Russia, and destroying Israel.
Axis of resistance
He said that the Iranian-sponsored “axis of resistance” militia networks, such as the Houthis in Yemen, Hezbollah in Lebanon, militias based in Iraq and Syria, and the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), are working to strengthen Iranian influence in the region and at a distance from it.
The writer emphasized that it is clear that Iran has assembled a remotely controlled coalition of those who want to stay after America is removed from the region.
A force to be reckoned with
The article added that Iran took practical steps to repair relations with its Arab competitors in the Gulf last year, and concluded a deal to reform its relations with Saudi Arabia, and that the most important aspect of this deal is that China mediated it. The latter, along with Russia, are new friends of Tehran, which has transformed Iran’s fortunes and made it a force to be reckoned with.
The writer concluded that Iran is now, 45 years after its revolution, safe from the impact of sanctions, ostracism and threats, and America, Britain and Israel are facing a formidable opponent who is part of a tripartite global alliance (Iran, China and Russia) supported by powerful militias in the region and an economic force.
