Iran-backed Houthi forces have sharply escalated their campaign along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, seizing the strategic port city of Mokha and nearby islands and strengthening their position around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, one of the world’s key maritime chokepoints.
The latest advance has raised fresh concerns over the safety of commercial shipping and Saudi Arabia’s ability to move oil through the Red Sea. Houthi forces have also launched drone and missile attacks on Saudi targets, including near the country’s southern border.
Saudi Arabia has temporarily shut its East-West oil pipeline following drone attacks on the route. The pipeline, which transports crude to the Red Sea port of Yanbu, provides Saudi Arabia with an alternative export route when shipments through the Strait of Hormuz are disrupted. Reuters reported that a prolonged outage could threaten up to 4% of global oil supply.
The Houthi advance gives Iran-backed forces greater leverage over the Bab el-Mandeb, the gateway connecting the Gulf of Aden with the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. Any sustained disruption could force more vessels to avoid the Red Sea, increasing sailing distances, freight costs, insurance premiums and pressure on global energy markets.
The latest developments come as shipping through the region is already facing severe disruption because of the wider conflict involving Iran and the Strait of Hormuz.