Houthis seize heights, isolating coast

by Jason Lyall Reposted by Brendan Nyhan, Elizabeth Saunders

Scholar power: 69.2%

Story's scientific field profile

Political science 58%, Law 17%, Economics 13%, History 12%

Name	Field match	H-index	Scholar power
🎓 Jason Lyall	38%	16	45.6%
🎓 Brendan Nyhan	33%	51	23.6%
🎓 Elizabeth Saunders	-	33	-
Total			69.2%

Formula for scholar power: 3 × author's field match × √author's h-index + sum of each reposter's field match × √reposter's h-index

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Reposts

Scholar power

76.0%

18.6 h

45

69.2%

Ranking score

0.643

Formula for ranking score (post): scholar_power × max((total_reposts)^(1/3), 1) × (1 / max(hours_since_posted, 1)) × (raw_relevance)^3

Jason "Red5" Lyall

@jaylyall.bsky.social

Timeline of Strategic Genius:

Wednesday: Trump against helping Saudis fight Houthis

Thursday: Gets a call from Crown Prince Salman, decides to join the fight

Mid-day Sunday: Trump calls off airstrikes right as they were about to begin, declines to help Saudis (again)

Trump Gets Caught in a Dilemma Over a Saudi Plea for Military Help

The president vacillated but decided on Sunday not to join Saudi Arabia, for now, in joint strikes against the Houthis in Yemen. But he also needs the kingdom’s cooperation in his war against Iran.

www.nytimes.com

September 21, 2026 at 1:42 AM

by Michael D. McDonald

70%

Scholar power: 70.4%

Story's scientific field profile

Political science 58%, Law 17%, Economics 13%, History 12%

Name	Field match	H-index	Scholar power
🎓 Michael D. McDonald	50%	22	70.4%

Formula for scholar power: 3 × author's field match × √author's h-index

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Reposts

Scholar power

58.0%

9.5 h

16

70.4%

Ranking score

0.305

Formula for ranking score (post): scholar_power × max((total_reposts)^(1/3), 1) × (1 / max(hours_since_posted, 1)) × (raw_relevance)^3

Michael McDonald

@electproject.bsky.social

The League of Assholes is falling apart

Trump Gets Caught in a Dilemma Over a Saudi Plea for Military Help www.nytimes.com/2026/09/20/u...

September 21, 2026 at 10:47 AM

by Vali Nasr

83%

Scholar power: 83.7%

Story's scientific field profile

Political science 58%, Law 17%, Economics 13%, History 12%

Name	Field match	H-index	Scholar power
🎓 Vali Nasr	72%	15	83.7%

Formula for scholar power: 3 × author's field match × √author's h-index

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Recency

Reposts

Scholar power

69.0%

14.8 h

5

83.7%

Ranking score

0.264

Formula for ranking score (post): scholar_power × max((total_reposts)^(1/3), 1) × (1 / max(hours_since_posted, 1)) × (raw_relevance)^3

Vali Nasr

@valinasr.bsky.social

Trump ordered US to bomb Houthis on Sunday and then changed his mind. US is short on ammunition or is he worried of Houthis retaliation on Saudi oil facilities or he is keeping his powder dry for a bigger bombing campaign to come against Iran?
www.nytimes.com/2026/09/20/u...

Trump Gets Caught in a Dilemma Over a Saudi Plea for Military Help

The president vacillated but decided on Sunday not to join Saudi Arabia, for now, in joint strikes against the Houthis in Yemen. But he also needs the kingdom’s cooperation in his war against Iran.

www.nytimes.com

September 21, 2026 at 5:33 AM

by Césari Laurent

21%

Scholar power: 21.5%

Story's scientific field profile

Political science 58%, Law 17%, Economics 13%, History 12%

Name	Field match	H-index	Scholar power
🎓 Césari Laurent	32%	5	21.5%

Formula for scholar power: 3 × author's field match × √author's h-index

Ranking score inputs

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Recency

Reposts

Scholar power

82.0%

7.9 h

0

21.5%

Ranking score

0.148

Formula for ranking score (post): scholar_power × max((total_reposts)^(1/3), 1) × (1 / max(hours_since_posted, 1)) × (raw_relevance)^3

Laurent Cesari

@laurentcesari.bsky.social

Trump Gets Caught in a Dilemma Over a Saudi Plea for Military Help www.nytimes.com/2026/09/20/u...

Trump Gets Caught in a Dilemma Over a Saudi Plea for Military Help

The president vacillated but decided on Sunday not to join Saudi Arabia, for now, in joint strikes against the Houthis in Yemen. But he also needs the kingdom’s cooperation in his war against Iran.

www.nytimes.com

September 21, 2026 at 12:24 PM

by Scott Lucas

47%

Scholar power: 47.6%

Story's scientific field profile

Political science 58%, Law 17%, Economics 13%, History 12%

Name	Field match	H-index	Scholar power
🎓 Scott Lucas	41%	15	47.6%

Formula for scholar power: 3 × author's field match × √author's h-index

Ranking score inputs

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Recency

Reposts

Scholar power

46.0%

4.9 h

1

47.6%

Ranking score

0.094

Formula for ranking score (post): scholar_power × max((total_reposts)^(1/3), 1) × (1 / max(hours_since_posted, 1)) × (raw_relevance)^3

Scott Lucas

@scottlucas.bsky.social

2 tankers hit by “debris from unknown projectiles” in #StraitOfHormuz

No injuries or environmental impact reported, and both vessels continued to next port of call

#Iran #IranWar

Scott Lucas @scottlucas.bsky.social · 15h

UPDATES: US War on #Iran, Day 207 --- #SaudiArabia 's Conflict with #Yemen 's #Houthis Escalates

#IranWar #BabAlMandeb

eaworldview.com/2026/09/us-w...

UPDATES: US War on Iran, Day 207 - Saudi Arabia's Conflict with Yemen's Houthis Escalates - EA WorldView

Saudi Arabia warns the security of Mecca is a "red line", claiming that it intercepted and destroyed a ⁠Houthi drone south of the holy city.

eaworldview.com

September 21, 2026 at 3:23 PM

Reposted by Marc Lynch

24%

Scholar power: 24.5%

Story's scientific field profile

Political science 58%, Law 17%, Economics 13%, History 12%

Name	Field match	H-index	Scholar power
🎓 Marc Lynch	50%	24	24.5%

Formula for scholar power: sum of each reposter's field match × √reposter's h-index

Ranking score inputs

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Recency

Reposts

Scholar power

54.0%

8.1 h

4

24.5%

Ranking score

0.068

Formula for ranking score (post): scholar_power × max((total_reposts)^(1/3), 1) × (1 / max(hours_since_posted, 1)) × (raw_relevance)^3

Aron Lund

@aronlund.bsky.social

In the space of four days, Trump has given orders to not strike Yemen, to strike Yemen, and then to not strike Yemen again. The last call came as “troops were loading bombs onto U.S. warplanes selected for the missions and the wave of attacks was just about to begin”. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/20/u...

Trump Gets Caught in a Dilemma Over a Saudi Plea for Military Help

The president vacillated but decided on Sunday not to join Saudi Arabia, for now, in joint strikes against the Houthis in Yemen. But he also needs the kingdom’s cooperation in his war against Iran.

www.nytimes.com

September 21, 2026 at 12:13 PM

Reposted by Nikolas K. Gvosdev

20%

Scholar power: 20.4%

Story's scientific field profile

Political science 58%, Law 17%, Economics 13%, History 12%

Name	Field match	H-index	Scholar power
🎓 Nikolas K. Gvosdev	59%	12	20.4%

Formula for scholar power: sum of each reposter's field match × √reposter's h-index

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Recency

Reposts

Scholar power

45.0%

17.2 h

110

20.4%

Ranking score

0.049

Formula for ranking score (post): scholar_power × max((total_reposts)^(1/3), 1) × (1 / max(hours_since_posted, 1)) × (raw_relevance)^3

Republicans Against Trumpism

@rpsagainsttrump.bsky.social

After speaking with MBS, Trump reversed himself and told the Pentagon to prepare for airstrikes against the Houthis.

But by midday Sunday, the president appeared to have reversed himself again. There would be no U.S. airstrikes against the Houthis — at least for now
www.nytimes.com/2026/09/20/u...

Trump Gets Caught in a Dilemma Over a Saudi Plea for Military Help (Gift Article)

The president vacillated but decided on Sunday not to join Saudi Arabia, for now, in joint strikes against the Houthis in Yemen. But he also needs the kingdom’s cooperation in his war against Iran.

www.nytimes.com

September 21, 2026 at 3:06 AM

by Scott Lucas

47%

Scholar power: 47.6%

Story's scientific field profile

Political science 58%, Law 17%, Economics 13%, History 12%

Name	Field match	H-index	Scholar power
🎓 Scott Lucas	41%	15	47.6%

Formula for scholar power: 3 × author's field match × √author's h-index

Ranking score inputs

Relevance

Recency

Reposts

Scholar power

49.0%

10.1 h

4

47.6%

Ranking score

0.074

Formula for ranking score (post): scholar_power × max((total_reposts)^(1/3), 1) × (1 / max(hours_since_posted, 1)) × (raw_relevance)^3

Scott Lucas

@scottlucas.bsky.social

#Israel forces attacks w warplanes, artillery, and machine guns across southern #Lebanon and southern #Syria

#IranWar

Scott Lucas @scottlucas.bsky.social · 15h

UPDATES: US War on #Iran, Day 207 --- #SaudiArabia 's Conflict with #Yemen 's #Houthis Escalates

#IranWar #BabAlMandeb

eaworldview.com/2026/09/us-w...

UPDATES: US War on Iran, Day 207 - Saudi Arabia's Conflict with Yemen's Houthis Escalates - EA WorldView

Saudi Arabia warns the security of Mecca is a "red line", claiming that it intercepted and destroyed a ⁠Houthi drone south of the holy city.

eaworldview.com

September 21, 2026 at 10:13 AM

by Timothy D. McBride

2%

Scholar power: 2.9%

Story's scientific field profile

Political science 58%, Law 17%, Economics 13%, History 12%

Name	Field match	H-index	Scholar power
🎓 Timothy D. McBride	2%	23	2.9%

Formula for scholar power: 3 × author's field match × √author's h-index

Ranking score inputs

Relevance

Recency

Reposts

Scholar power

82.0%

9.1 h

3

2.9%

Ranking score

0.04

Formula for ranking score (post): scholar_power × max((total_reposts)^(1/3), 1) × (1 / max(hours_since_posted, 1)) × (raw_relevance)^3

Timothy McBride

@mcbridetd.bsky.social

Trump Gets Caught in a Dilemma Over a Saudi Plea for Military Help www.nytimes.com/2026/09/20/u...

Trump Gets Caught in a Dilemma Over a Saudi Plea for Military Help

The president vacillated but decided on Sunday not to join Saudi Arabia, for now, in joint strikes against the Houthis in Yemen. But he also needs the kingdom’s cooperation in his war against Iran.

www.nytimes.com

September 21, 2026 at 11:12 AM

by Béatrice Cointe

12%

Scholar power: 12.5%

Story's scientific field profile

Political science 58%, Law 17%, Economics 13%, History 12%

Name	Field match	H-index	Scholar power
🎓 Béatrice Cointe	12%	12	12.5%

Formula for scholar power: 3 × author's field match × √author's h-index

Ranking score inputs

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Recency

Reposts

Scholar power

53.0%

6.7 h

2

12.5%

Ranking score

0.026

Formula for ranking score (post): scholar_power × max((total_reposts)^(1/3), 1) × (1 / max(hours_since_posted, 1)) × (raw_relevance)^3

Béatrice Cointe

@beatricecointe.bsky.social

But on the other hand, why would Saudi Arabia's defending its interests through the means of scientific diplomacy be any less legitimate than when the US or EU do the same?

September 21, 2026 at 1:34 PM

by Scott Lucas

47%

Scholar power: 47.6%

Story's scientific field profile

Political science 58%, Law 17%, Economics 13%, History 12%

Name	Field match	H-index	Scholar power
🎓 Scott Lucas	41%	15	47.6%

Formula for scholar power: 3 × author's field match × √author's h-index

Ranking score inputs

Relevance

Recency

Reposts

Scholar power

51.0%

15.9 h

6

47.6%

Ranking score

0.057

Formula for ranking score (post): scholar_power × max((total_reposts)^(1/3), 1) × (1 / max(hours_since_posted, 1)) × (raw_relevance)^3

Scott Lucas

@scottlucas.bsky.social

#Iran central military command: We have received info that US, w backing of some regional countries, preparing to resume military action

Warns any attack triggers sustained strikes on US bases and interests in region - Those supporting US aggression v. Iran will be considered parties to conflict

Scott Lucas @scottlucas.bsky.social · 15h

UPDATES: US War on #Iran, Day 207 --- #SaudiArabia 's Conflict with #Yemen 's #Houthis Escalates

#IranWar #BabAlMandeb

eaworldview.com/2026/09/us-w...

UPDATES: US War on Iran, Day 207 - Saudi Arabia's Conflict with Yemen's Houthis Escalates - EA WorldView

Saudi Arabia warns the security of Mecca is a "red line", claiming that it intercepted and destroyed a ⁠Houthi drone south of the holy city.

eaworldview.com

September 21, 2026 at 4:26 AM