Yemen’s Houthi rebels have seized a key island in the Bab al-Mandab strait, a critical chokepoint for global shipping and a vital route for Saudi oil exports, marking another setback for the UN-backed government in Aden. The capture follows recent losses along Yemen’s west coast, including the strategic port city of Mocha, as the Iran-backed fighters extend their influence over the narrow waterway. The development underscores the escalating conflict’s regional implications, particularly as tensions between the U.S. and Iran intensify. The move could further disrupt maritime trade and heighten risks for international shipping in one of the world’s most strategically sensitive areas.
Rampant Yemeni fighters take control of island in narrow point of Bab al-Mandab strait, which Saudi is relying on for oil exportsViolence in Yemen: why it matters and how it is linked to the US-Iran warYemen’s rampant Houthi forces have captured a strategic island in the Bab al-Mandab strait, expanding their control of the narrow waterway, one of the world’s vital shipping routes.The Iran-aligned Houthis took control of the volcanic island after forces allied to the UN-backed, Aden-based government left in the latest of a dramatic series of reverses along Yemen’s west coast in recent days, including the loss of the port city of Mocha on Thursday. Continue reading...
