Houthis control key shipping route after gains along Yemen’s Red Sea coast - Al Jazeera

**Houthis seize strategic island and port, tightening grip on Bab al‑Mandeb**

Iran‑backed Houthi forces have expanded their control along Yemen’s Red Sea coastline, capturing the island that sits at the mouth of the Bab al‑Mandeb strait – a chokepoint through which roughly 20 percent of the world’s petroleum shipments pass. The seizure, reported by *Al Jazeera* and confirmed by the *BBC*, marks the first time the rebels have held the island, giving them a direct foothold over one of the most vital maritime arteries linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. In the same wave of advances, the Houthis took the port of **Al‑Mokha** (as detailed by *CNBC*), further consolidating their presence on the coast and positioning them to influence traffic through the adjacent oil‑rich waters.

The Bab al‑Mandeb strait, flanked by the Yemeni coast and the Djibouti‑Eritrea border, is a critical conduit for global trade, especially for crude oil and liquefied natural gas destined for Europe and Asia. Control of the island and the newly seized port enables the Houthis to monitor, and potentially disrupt, vessel movements, raising concerns among shipping companies and navies that patrol the route. Analysts cited by *The Guardian* warn that any obstruction could force carriers to reroute around the longer and more expensive Cape of Good Hope, adding pressure to already volatile oil markets.

International reactions have been swift. The United States and the United Kingdom, which maintain naval forces in the region, have called for the immediate restoration of safe passage, while Saudi Arabia has warned that the Houthis’ expansion threatens regional stability. Iran, long accused of supplying the rebels, has denied direct involvement but expressed “support for Yemeni resistance,” a statement that underscores the broader geopolitical stakes. As diplomatic efforts intensify, the next few weeks will determine whether the Houthis’ gains become a temporary tactical advantage or a lasting shift in control over one of the world’s most crucial shipping lanes.