The conflict in Yemen continues to escalate. Saudi Arabia along with nine other middle eastern countries launched air strikes in Yemen on Wednesday to stop the rise of the Iran-backed group of rebels called the Houthi.

Just yesterday, Egypt announced that it was prepared to join the Saudi-led campaign with ground troops. Houthi forces and their allies have managed to take control of much of Yemen in the last month forcing the Yemeni president to flee the capital of Sanaa earlier this week. 

All this comes as the Obama Administration finds itself increasingly entangled in a region it set out to leave. What does the situation in Yemen mean for US foreign policy? 

Asher Orkaby, a research fellow at the Crown Center for Middle East Studies,  wrote about this recently for Foreign Affairs magazine. He explains why the US should be worried about the situation in Yemen.