Houthis Seize Red Sea Coast, Threatening Global Shipping and Oil Markets

The Houthi movement has seized control of Yemen's Red Sea coastline and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, intensifying attacks on Saudi Arabia and threatening global shipping. This escalation follows the collapse of a 2022 ceasefire and occurs amid the wider US-Iran conflict, creating a dual pressure on oil markets. The group's military capabilities, bolstered by Iranian support, have transformed it into a major regional threat. The Houthis have rapidly advanced along Yemen's Red Sea coast, seizing the port city of Mocha and islands, thereby gaining control of territory overlooking the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. This strategic chokepoint connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is a vital route for international maritime trade and energy shipments. The territorial gains make it easier for the group to block shipping and set up a potential launchpad for further military operations toward Aden. The ceasefire that had paused Yemen's civil war has collapsed, with fighting resuming along multiple front lines including Marib, Taiz, and the Tihama coastal strip.