The #Houthis have no intention of backing down. Despite Saudi pressure through Riyadh-aligned forces in Yemen, the Houthis appear to believe there is no going back to the pre-escalation status quo. Their objective is not simply to survive the current pressure campaign, but to force Saudi Arabia to relent and lift the restrictions imposed on them. That puts Riyadh back in an extremely difficult strategic position. Escalation carries significant risks and could ultimately backfire. But making c