As the war in Iran spreads across the Middle East, the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have so far remained on the sidelines. The Houthi rebels merely held protests and issued a statement condemning the war in Iran

On Thursday, Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, stated in his first written statement since succeeding his father, who was killed in the war, that Iran may open new fronts in the conflict. Analysts say this is a sign that the Houthi rebels may soon intervene.

Experts say that, so far, the Houthi rebels have been reluctant to fight, fearing the assassination of their leaders, the fragmentation of Yemen, and uncertainty regarding their weapons supply.

However, analysts also say this situation could change as Iran attempts to increase pressure on global oil supply routes through potential attacks by the Houthis.