That's an interesting choice by the Rebels.
The Iran-backed Houthi rebel movement in Yemen claimed to have carried out a successful missile strike on Saudi Arabia’s main west coast oil terminal in Jeddah today.
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The attack comes in the middle of an escalation in Yemen’s civil war following pressure from the Biden administration on Saudi Arabia to pull back from its support of the recognised government. The administration refused to comment on reports overnight that the new US envoy to Yemen, Timothy Lenderking, had met Houthi representatives in Oman, which has often played a role in mediating crises in the Gulf. However, the Houthis have seized the opportunity provided by the new pressure on Saudi Arabia to launch attacks both on the kingdom and on government lines inside Yemen...Riyadh reported overnight that its defence systems had intercepted two drones and a missile fired at points in southwest Saudi Arabia.
If Mr Lenderking is in talks with the Saudis to try and get them to back down, and while that is going on the Houthi ramp it up, isn't the easy response from the Saudis "They are escalating, we are not obliged to back down when they attack our territory" or words to that effect?
Not seeing how more missile attacks into Saudi fits with American 'pressure' although, on their own, the old threat of "If you don't leave there's more of the same" is a very clear message from the rebels. (Which needs no American input to get across). Not sure how much leverage the US has at this point. (IIRC, numerous opinions on 'don't sell the Saudis weapons' is a form of leverage, but since the Saudis also oppose Iran, with whom America is still at odds, that doesn't seem to be a very tunable dial on the relations scale).
However, Iran has so far rejected an offer of talks over the nuclear deal, insisting that Biden must rejoin it unconditionally.
No surprise there. That's been their position for quite some time.
In Yemen the Saudi-backed government fears that rather than making peace in response to US overtures, the Houthis will seize the military advantage, leading to a division into two of the country.
It was two countries a few decades ago. Maybe it will be better off that way in the future. (Heck, Yugoslavia split into six.
) Yemen unification was followed by a civil war less than five years later.
Interesting parallels, though the politics are a bit different.
Granted, a few of the players have changed in the mean time.