Houthis tighten grip on Bab al-Mandab as Yemen fighting displaces 150,000

Houthi forces have seized a string of towns and ports along Yemen's Red Sea coast and are now pressing towards the Bab al-Mandab strait, the narrow waterway that links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Suez Canal. The advance is the most serious fighting in Yemen for years and has reopened a civil war that had been largely frozen by a truce. It has also become entangled with the wider war between the United States and Iran, because the Houthis are allied to Tehran and Saudi Arabia backs Yemen's internationally recognised government.

In recent days, the Houthis took the port city of Mokha, then the town of Dhubab, and reported control of Perim Island, which sits in the middle of the Bab al-Mandab. They also claimed the Hanish islands and other territory. Yemeni government forces backed by Saudi Arabia pulled out of Perim. The Houthis declared their operation to expel Saudi-backed forces from Yemen's western coast a success. They said shipping through the strait would be safe for all countries except Saudi Arabia, whose vessels they have threatened to blockade.

Casualty and displacement figures have varied as the offensive has continued. Early clashes killed at least 120 people, according to one account. Later coverage said more than 300 had died in five days of fighting, and hundreds more have been killed. The United Nations and aid agencies have cited figures ranging from 46,000 to more than 150,000 displaced inside Yemen, while more than 2,000 people have crossed the Red Sea to Djibouti. Aid agencies in Djibouti said camps were overwhelmed and needed about $3 million. Thousands more could arrive if the fighting continues.

Saudi Arabia said operations at some energy facilities were halted after drone and missile attacks by the Houthis. More than 70 people were wounded and fires broke out at locations including King Khalid military airbase, Abha International Airport and Aramco facilities. The Houthis said they were retaliating for Saudi airstrikes on Yemen, including a prison bombardment that killed seven people, among them a child. The Houthis also said they struck the Sharoora military base. Saudi airstrikes hit Taiz, and a reported Houthi projectile damaged a mosque in the Saudi region of Jazan.

The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed by the US-Iran war. Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, has relied on its east-west pipeline to the Red Sea and then the Bab al-Mandab for exports to Asia. But the Houthis have attacked Saudi energy infrastructure, and a drone attack launched from Iraq closed the east-west pipeline. Iraq fired a military commander and launched an investigation after admitting the attack originated in one of its provinces bordering Iran. Satellite images showed fires at an oil pumping station on the pipeline. Around 7 per cent of global oil passed through Bab al-Mandab in June, and nearly 15 per cent of global sea trade goes through it. The pipeline moved an estimated 4 to 5 per cent of global oil supply. Oil prices rose above $100 a barrel, with Brent crude over $105, and US diesel hit record highs. Shipping companies face higher insurance and tanker costs, with Saudi Arabia rerouting some exports around Africa and cancelling some Europe-bound shipments. Analysts warned of a double choke point if Iran or its allies influence both Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly asked President Trump to take military action against the Houthis. Trump offered intelligence support but declined direct intervention, according to reports. Trump said the Houthis had called his administration to ask the US not to get involved and said they were letting most ships pass, except for one country. The US Central Command commander, Brad Cooper, visited Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia also requested operational assistance from Britain, according to reports. The UN said more than 2,000 Yemenis had crossed to Djibouti, with thousands more expected.

Yemen has been at war since 2014. More than 150,000 people have died in the conflict and the UN says more than 22 million need aid. The 2022 truce had reduced fighting but collapsed in July. The renewed offensive has displaced families, emptied villages and created what aid workers called a judgment day for some civilians. Thousands fled to Aden and other areas, and some crossed the Red Sea to Djibouti. A Red Sea alliance involving African nations has been formed, and Sudanese navy patrols have intercepted smuggling vessels, some linked to Houthi militias.

Experts said the Houthi advance was not a surprise because government forces were poorly coordinated and the Houthis had built up weapons since 2022. Former US Yemen envoy Timothy Lenderking said Houthi momentum was likely to continue unless the Saudi-backed government received help. Former UK ambassador Nicholas Hopton warned that US military involvement could break the US-Houthi ceasefire and close Bab al-Mandab to international shipping. He said a negotiated settlement involving economic relief and money for the Houthis might be needed. Analysts said the Houthis may now try to cash in on their gains rather than push much further militarily.

More than 150,000 people have fled their homes, according to the latest reports. The Houthis are using drones, long-range ballistic missiles and other advanced weapons. Yemeni forces say the current war is more advanced than previous rounds. The situation remains volatile. Shipping through Bab al-Mandab has not been fully closed, but the threat to Saudi vessels and oil infrastructure has raised fears about global energy prices and inflation. The Houthis have said they do not want a fight with the US, but their advance has strengthened Iran's position in its conflict with Washington and left Saudi Arabia and its allies scrambling for a response.