Overshadowed by conflicts in nearby Iraq and Syria, the Yemen Civil War has spawned a humanitarian crisis almost as severe as those affecting its neighbors. Recently, tensions escalated after US warships and Houthi rebels exchanged missile fire, leading to concerns that America could find itself embroiled in yet another Middle Eastern conflict.

We explore why the U.S. and Saudi Arabia are involved in Yemen, why the conflict has largely slipped under the radar, and how external powers are using the conflict to gain political mileage.

This is a report by Jason Lim.