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What is the story about?
The Houthis have taken control of Yemen’s Red Sea coast, including areas around the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, after advancing against forces of the internationally recognised Yemeni government, according to government sources, witnesses and reporting agencies.
Houthi fighters reached the coastal town of al-Makha, also known as Mocha, at dawn on Thursday before moving towards nearby islands, Al Jazeera reported. Yemeni government sources told Reuters on Friday that Houthi fighters had also reached Dhubab, a town on the coast of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
Boats carrying Houthi fighters reached Mayyun Island, also known as Perim, after government forces withdrew, government officials were reported to have confirmed. The island sits at the centre of the strait, which connects the Gulf of Aden with the Red Sea.
One source told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that the Houthis had completed their takeover of the Bab al-Mandeb area. The Sanaa-based Yemen Press Agency, citing field sources, reported that Houthi forces had seized the Al-Omari camp overlooking the strait.
Al Jazeera reported that there had been no official announcement from the Houthi authorities confirming control of Bab al-Mandeb.
The Bab al-Mandeb Strait is the southern gateway to the Red Sea and provides a shipping route between the Gulf of Aden and the Suez Canal. Control of the area could give the Iran-backed Houthis greater influence over shipping through the Red Sea.
The route has also been used as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, through which about one-fifth of global energy shipments passed before the war between the United States and Iran began earlier this year.
Shipping through the Red Sea had already fallen during an earlier Houthi campaign against commercial vessels in the area.
Al Jazeera correspondent Yousef Mawry, reporting from Sanaa, said the Houthis now had control of Bab al-Mandeb and the shipping traffic passing through the Red Sea. He also said there were few indications that Yemeni government forces were preparing a counteroffensive.
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The reported Houthi advance came as energy prices remained elevated. The average price of diesel in the United States exceeded $6 a gallon, while oil prices were on course to close above $100 a barrel for the first time since mid-May.
The International Energy Agency said on Friday that global oil supply and demand were likely to decline by more than previously forecast this year, with disruption linked to the United States-Iran war expected to affect Middle Eastern oil flows into 2027.
The reported takeover of the Bab al-Mandeb area adds another pressure point to energy and shipping routes in the region, alongside disruption around the Strait of Hormuz.
Houthi fighters reached the coastal town of al-Makha, also known as Mocha, at dawn on Thursday before moving towards nearby islands, Al Jazeera reported. Yemeni government sources told Reuters on Friday that Houthi fighters had also reached Dhubab, a town on the coast of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
Boats carrying Houthi fighters reached Mayyun Island, also known as Perim, after government forces withdrew, government officials were reported to have confirmed. The island sits at the centre of the strait, which connects the Gulf of Aden with the Red Sea.
One source told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that the Houthis had completed their takeover of the Bab al-Mandeb area. The Sanaa-based Yemen Press Agency, citing field sources, reported that Houthi forces had seized the Al-Omari camp overlooking the strait.
Al Jazeera reported that there had been no official announcement from the Houthi authorities confirming control of Bab al-Mandeb.
A key route comes under Houthi control
The Bab al-Mandeb Strait is the southern gateway to the Red Sea and provides a shipping route between the Gulf of Aden and the Suez Canal. Control of the area could give the Iran-backed Houthis greater influence over shipping through the Red Sea.
The route has also been used as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, through which about one-fifth of global energy shipments passed before the war between the United States and Iran began earlier this year.
Shipping through the Red Sea had already fallen during an earlier Houthi campaign against commercial vessels in the area.
Al Jazeera correspondent Yousef Mawry, reporting from Sanaa, said the Houthis now had control of Bab al-Mandeb and the shipping traffic passing through the Red Sea. He also said there were few indications that Yemeni government forces were preparing a counteroffensive.
Also read: Putin arrives in India for BRICS Summit, to hold bilateral talks with Modi
Oil markets watch the wider impact
The reported Houthi advance came as energy prices remained elevated. The average price of diesel in the United States exceeded $6 a gallon, while oil prices were on course to close above $100 a barrel for the first time since mid-May.
The International Energy Agency said on Friday that global oil supply and demand were likely to decline by more than previously forecast this year, with disruption linked to the United States-Iran war expected to affect Middle Eastern oil flows into 2027.
The reported takeover of the Bab al-Mandeb area adds another pressure point to energy and shipping routes in the region, alongside disruption around the Strait of Hormuz.
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