Yemen's Houthis take over Bab al-Mandab Strait vital to global shipping

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis seized a strategic Red Sea island on Friday after capturing territory along the coast, completing their takeover of a vital shipping corridor linking Europe and Asia. The advance deepens the Middle East war's impact on global commerce, months after Iran blockaded the Strait of Hormuz.

Why did the Houthis take over the Bab al-Mandab Strait?

The Houthis completed a week-long offensive that left hundreds dead, gaining control of territory along Yemen's side of the Bab al-Mandab Strait. This waterway is the southern gateway to the Red Sea and, in turn, the Suez Canal. Their advance gives them greater ability to strike Saudi tankers, which they have targeted since July.

What has Iran said about the Houthi advance?

A local official with Yemen's Saudi-backed government said the Houthis had completed their takeover of the Bab al-Mandab area and Mayyun Island, while a witness described gunmen deploying along the shore in military vehicles. Mohammad Mokhber, an adviser to Iranian supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, congratulated the Houthis on their "resounding victory." Farea Al-Muslimi of Chatham House told AFP that Iran now controls both the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandab, calling it the region's other most strategic chokepoint.

How has the takeover affected oil prices?

Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter, has relied on the Red Sea since Iran's Hormuz blockade choked off shipments via the Gulf. Oil prices have soared past $100 a barrel this week, while average US diesel prices topped $6 for the first time on Friday. This poses a potential political headache for President Donald Trump ahead of midterm elections. A Houthi politburo member sought to ease shipping concerns, telling Al-Araby al-Jadeed that freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab remains "safe and orderly."

How many people have been displaced by the Houthi offensive?

The Houthi offensive has cost more than 500 lives and displaced about 46,000 people, according to the UN migration agency. It forms part of renewed hostilities in Yemen's civil war, which began with the Houthis' takeover of the capital Sanaa in 2014. This week, the Houthis carried out their heaviest missile and drone attack in years against Saudi Arabia, setting oil sites ablaze and wounding 73 people.

What islands do the Houthis control in the strait?

The strait has four strategic islands: Zuqar and Mayyun, both under Houthi control, and the two Hanish islands, where government military sources told AFP that Houthi forces have besieged government troops. Before the Red Sea offensive, the Houthis already controlled a large part of northern Yemen. They recently attacked government-held areas in Hodeida and Taiz provinces before sweeping down the coast and seizing the port city of Mocha and Zuqar island on Thursday.

How has Saudi Arabia responded to the Houthi advance?

Saudi Arabia has hit back with airstrikes and ordered troop reinforcements from Aden, where the internationally recognized government is based, but has failed to stop the Houthis' rapid advance. Houthi media said two Saudi strikes hit Mocha's airport on Friday, while a local official said the city's seaport was hit by six missiles of unknown origin. Al-Muslimi said Saudi Arabia has "tried everything" to avoid this war but likely has no more options left.

What is the risk of a wider conflict in Yemen?

A local Yemeni official said the number of fighters on Mayyun island, just 13 square kilometers, was "not large" and would likely deploy on hills overlooking the strait. The UN Security Council met Thursday to discuss the conflict with Yemen envoy Hans Grundberg, who called for active engagement from every member to contain a potentially more dangerous conflict. The renewed fighting risks reviving a war that killed hundreds of thousands of Yemenis and triggered one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, after the Houthis fought a Saudi-led coalition from 2015 until a UN-brokered ceasefire in 2022.