Houthi advance in Yemen is about more than just the Red Sea - Al Jazeera

The Houthi rebel movement in Yemen has seized a series of positions that extend far beyond the Red Sea, most notably the strategic Bab al‑Mandeb strait and a small island at its mouth that controls access to one of the world’s busiest maritime corridors. The capture, reported by Al Jazeera, marks the first time the group has held the strait’s southern entrance, a choke‑point through which roughly 20 percent of global oil shipments and a significant share of Indian‑bound cargo pass. Yemeni sources say the operation was carried out with a coordinated “lightning” strike that caught Saudi‑backed forces off‑guard, and senior Saudi commanders later admitted that promised air support never materialised.

The loss of Bab al‑Mandeb has prompted Saudi Arabia to shut down a major oil‑pipeline that runs through the contested region, a move confirmed by NDTV. The pipeline’s closure has already curtailed the flow of crude to Saudi refineries and heightened tensions between Riyadh and the Houthi‑controlled areas. Meanwhile, the Times of India highlighted how the absence of coalition air cover allowed the Houthis to exploit gaps in Saudi defensive postures, underscoring the growing vulnerability of Saudi‑UAE forces that have relied heavily on aerial superiority throughout the eight‑year conflict.

Analysts warn that the Houthi advance could reverberate through global trade, especially for India, whose imports of Middle‑Eastern oil and bulk commodities transit the Bab al‑Mandeb corridor. India Today noted that any prolonged disruption could force Indian shipping firms to reroute vessels around the Cape of Good Hope, inflating freight costs and adding weeks to delivery times. In response, regional powers are expected to intensify diplomatic efforts, with the United Nations calling for an emergency meeting to address the security of the strait and to explore mechanisms that could restore safe passage for commercial vessels while containing the escalation of ground hostilities.