Houthi forces capture key points near Bab el-Mandeb strait

Houthi forces have captured key strategic points along Yemen's Red Sea coast, including the port city of Mocha and Perim Island, placing them on the cusp of controlling the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. This development threatens a vital maritime route that has become increasingly important since the Strait of Hormuz was disrupted earlier this year. The Houthi advance, described as an 18-hour operation, has effectively put the entirety of Yemen's Red Sea coast under the control of Ansar Allah, the Houthi movement. A senior Houthi official, Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, declared, "We have taken control of Bab el-Mandeb." The strait, a 29-kilometer-wide passage connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, is a critical global transit gateway for oil and other commodities. The capture comes amid the ongoing US-Iran war, which began with attacks on February 28. Iran's disruption of the Strait of Hormuz has already forced Gulf producers to rely more heavily on alternative routes, particularly through the Red Sea.