Houthis seize Yemeni Red Sea port city, eyeing Bab el-Mandeb control

The Houthi movement in Yemen has launched a new offensive aimed at extending its maritime campaign from the Red Sea into the Bab el‑Mandeb strait, a strategy the group says mirrors Iran’s 2019 blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. In a series of coordinated attacks on commercial vessels and naval assets, the rebels have targeted coastal towns and islands that lie along the narrow waterway linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, signaling an intent to disrupt one of the world’s most vital shipping corridors.

Analysts note that the Bab el‑Mandeb handles roughly 10 percent of global oil trade and serves as a conduit for goods bound for Europe, Asia and Africa. By focusing on ports such as Mokha and the islands of Perim and Al‑Maqa, the Houthis aim to pressure regional powers and international stakeholders, echoing Tehran’s earlier effort to leverage maritime chokepoints for political gain. The escalation follows a pattern of increasing Houthi naval activity since early 2024 and has prompted warnings from the United Nations and naval forces of the United Kingdom, United States and France, who have stepped up escort missions to safeguard commercial traffic. If the offensive succeeds in constraining passage through the strait, it could raise shipping costs and heighten geopolitical tensions across the Red Sea region.