Houthis seize key Red Sea island, threaten global oil shipping

Photo — Thomas Parker / Pexels

Iran‑aligned Houthi forces in Yemen have taken control of a strategic island and port area along the southern Red Sea, in or near the Bab el‑Mandeb Strait, a narrow waterway that carries a significant share of the world’s seaborne oil and commercial traffic.[12][1][13] Reports from multiple outlets describe the seizure of a key island and port city as part of an expanding Iranian proxy network aimed at pressuring Saudi Arabia and other US‑aligned Gulf states, effectively opening a new front in what some describe as an evolving Iran war.[12][9] Saudi authorities have responded by shutting down a major oil pipeline and warning that Houthi advances along the Yemeni coast directly threaten their exports and regional energy security.[4][7][12] Analysts and officials highlight that sustained disruption in this corridor could reverberate far beyond the region, tightening global oil supplies, pushing prices higher, and complicating already fragile world economic conditions.[3][6][9] The escalation also risks reigniting full‑scale civil conflict in Yemen and drawing in greater military involvement from regional and Western powers in an attempt to secure shipping lanes and protect energy infrastructure.[12][4][9]

Sources: AP, BBC, Reuters, CNN, NBC News, Netscape, RT, The Guardian, New York Times