Houthis take full control of Bab al-Mandab
Bab al-Mandab | Reuters
Yemen’s Houthi rebels have effectively taken control of the Bab al-Mandab Strait. They completed a rapid operation to take control of Yemen’s Red Sea coast on Friday. This has strengthened their control over one of the world’s most important shipping routes. It has also created a major strategic advantage for their supporters in Iran.
Several media outlets reported that Houthi forces have captured Perim Island, located in the middle of the strategically important Bab al-Mandab Strait. Just a day earlier, they had captured the historic port city of Mocha.
The Houthis then advanced toward the strategic coastal city of Dubab. At the same time, forces of the Saudi backed and internationally recognized Yemeni government are believed to have withdrawn from Perim.
A civil war has been ongoing between the Houthis and an opposing coalition since 2014. Although the conflict had largely remained subdued for several years following a ceasefire, intense fighting has resumed in recent weeks. This has raised fears of a return to full scale war. It has also created new and serious threats to the global economy.
If the Houthis establish effective control over Bab al-Mandab, the gateway to the Red Sea and a key trade route between Europe and Asia, oil exports could face greater risks. At the same time, Iran could gain a significant new strategic advantage in its war with the United States.
Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter, is now becoming increasingly dependent on this Red Sea shipping route. This is because shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has been disrupted since the United States and Israel began a war with the Islamic Republic of Iran in late February. Around 20 percent of the world’s total oil is normally transported through the strait.
If the Houthis can similarly threaten shipping through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, oil supplies through another major shipping route could decline. This could further deepen the ongoing global energy crisis.
Source: NBC (Adapted)
