Yemen’s Houthi movement has claimed to have established full control over Bab el-Mandeb, one of the world’s most important maritime passages connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. The claim comes amid growing military tensions in the region and reports of further Houthi advances in western Yemen.
Senior Ansar Allah leader Mohammed al-Bukhaiti reportedly made the claim as Iranian media reported that Houthi forces had made new gains in Yemen’s Taiz province. According to the reports, Houthi fighters captured several important areas, along with the Al-Khalid and Jabal al-Nasr military bases.
The reported advance has also moved closer to Al-Mokha port on Yemen’s Red Sea coast. Reports have claimed that Houthi forces took control of Al-Mokha airport as well. Large numbers of opposing fighters were also reportedly said to have surrendered after resisting the advance.
The developments could have wider consequences because of the strategic importance of Bab el-Mandeb. The waterway is a major route for international shipping, with large quantities of oil, gas and food products moving through the region. Any significant disruption or change in control could affect shipping routes, transportation costs and international trade.
Al-Mokha port is also strategically important because of its location along Yemen’s Red Sea coastline. Its position gives whoever controls the area greater ability to monitor maritime activity in the region.
The latest reports follow an earlier Houthi claim that the group had taken control of Zuqar, a strategically located island in the Red Sea. The claims have added to concerns about the security of maritime routes connecting the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and wider Middle East.
Rashad al-Alimi, president of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, has warned that changes in the military situation around Bab el-Mandeb could have consequences reaching beyond Yemen. He has specifically warned that instability in the area could eventually affect the Suez Canal and international trade. He also said protecting Yemen’s coastal areas was a shared responsibility involving Yemen, Arab countries and the wider international community.
Meanwhile, tensions have also increased around the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has claimed that it targeted and destroyed a US maritime drone near the entrance to the strategic waterway. The drone was reportedly similar to a Saildrone Explorer and was identified by hull number 5838.
According to a statement attributed to the Revolutionary Guards, the US drone was carrying out a mission in the Strait of Hormuz when it was targeted. The claim adds another layer to the growing military confrontation involving Iran and the United States.
At the same time, US Vice President JD Vance has reportedly raised serious concerns about Washington’s strategy and the chances of achieving success in the conflict with Iran. US media reports said Vance contacted American military commanders stationed in the Middle East, Europe and Asia to seek a direct assessment of the situation.
The reported assessments were said to differ significantly from the public messaging coming from the Trump administration. One major concern reportedly involved the declining stockpile of Patriot missile interceptors. At one point, the number of available interceptors had reportedly dropped below 100, while supplies of several other critical missile systems were also described as being at historically low levels.
The combination of developments around Bab el-Mandeb, the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Iran-US conflict has increased concerns over the security of major global shipping routes. Any prolonged disruption in these strategic waterways could create pressure on energy supplies, shipping costs and international trade.
Also read: Pakistan Warns Houthis Over Red Sea Threats
