Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis and Saudi Arabia have exchanged further strikes, amid signs that Tehran is ramping up the war against Riyadh to compensate for a stalemate in the Strait of Hormuz.
On today’s episode of Iran: The Latest, Venetia Rainey speaks with Arabist and Yemen expert Dr. Elisabeth Kendall (mistress of Girton College) to explain why the Houthis and Iraqi militias are part of a new Iranian Axis of Resistance. They also discuss how Saudi leader Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) is facing an existential crisis following devastating pipeline attacks and escalating violence, with missile alerts sounding as far as Jeddah. Following Donald Trump’s refusal to help, Saudi Arabia has called on the UK and Egypt while Iran turns to China. Who will step in?
Plus, how Iran helped the Houthis to evolve into a formidable fighting force and the US pushes back against the IRGC’s fake news about sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
CHAPTERS
00:00:00 - Strait of Hormuz Escalation & Red Sea Proxy War Overview
00:01:08 - Strait of Hormuz Shipping Crisis: Disinformation & Tanker Strikes
00:03:39 - Iran-Gulf Peace Talks Collapse Over Mandatory Strait Fees
00:04:35 - Expert Analysis: Houthi Advances on Yemen’s Red Sea Coast
00:08:27 - How Iran Upgraded Houthi Warfare Tactics with AI
00:11:09 - Why Iran is Banking on Houthis After Proxy Losses
00:15:06 - Map Breakdown: Yemen’s Geography & Threats to Global Shipping
00:18:04 - Houthi Missile Attacks Target Saudi Arabia’s East-West Pipeline
00:22:26 - Can Saudi Arabia Defend Itself? UK Military Assistance Requested
00:29:56 - The New Axis of Resistance: Houthi Operations in Iraq & Africa
CONTRIBUTORS:
Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey
Elisabeth Kendall, mistress of Girton College, University of Cambridge @Dr_E_Kendall
CONTENT REFERENCED:
https://understandingwar.org/research/middle-east/iran-update-september-14-2026/
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/09/14/proscribing-houthis-bring-energy-bills-down-burnham/
Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026
Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026
Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026
The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026
Video Producer: Max Bower
Audio Producer: Elliot Lampitt
Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh
Studio Operator: Andy Watson
Executive Producer: Venetia Rainey
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