Houthis seize key Yemeni Red Sea port, threaten oil shipping

Photo — abdo alshreef / Pexels

Iran-backed Houthi fighters have launched a rapid offensive along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, seizing the strategic port of Mokha and reportedly taking control of nearly the entire Yemeni Red Sea shoreline.[1][9][12] This stretch of coast sits near the Bab al-Mandab strait, a narrow but vital passage through which a significant share of global oil shipments transit between the Arabian Peninsula and the Suez Canal.[2][12] Reuters and other outlets report that the Houthi advance directly threatens Saudi oil export routes and has heightened concerns among energy markets already sensitive to Middle East turmoil, with oil prices holding above $108 per barrel amid broader regional tensions.[2][5][14] Al Jazeera and the BBC describe the Houthi gains as a major shift in Yemen’s long war, increasing the risk of a slide back into full civil conflict and deepening Iran’s leverage over another key waterway after years of proxy confrontations.[1][9][12] Regional militaries and shipping authorities are monitoring for potential attacks or blockades that could disrupt commercial traffic, raise insurance costs, and further strain global energy supplies.[2][12]

Sources: Reuters, BBC, AlJazeera, NewsNow, ABCNews, memeorandum