Over the last four months, the Israeli war on Gaza has spilled over into the rest of the Middle East, from Lebanon to Iraq. But the most dramatic example has been the link between events in Palestine and Yemen.

Ansar Allah, the movement known as the Huthis, imposed a blockade on ships going to Israel until there was a cease-fire. In response, the United States and the UK have carried out air strikes on Huthi positions in Yemen. The Huthis say they won’t be deterred by military action.

Helen Lackner is one of the leading experts on modern Yemen and the author of several books about the country. This is an edited transcript from Jacobin Radio’s Long Reads podcast. You can listen to the interview here.