Houthi Militia Claims Control of Bab al-Mandab as Global Trade Faces New Threat

SANAA: Senior Ansarullah leader Mohammed al-Bukhaiti has said the Houthi militia has established full control over the strategically important Bab al-Mandab Strait, raising fresh concerns over international shipping and global trade.

According to Iranian media, the Houthi militia has also seized key areas in Yemen’s western Taiz province, including the Al-Khalid and Jabal Al-Nasr military bases.

Reports further said the Houthi militia’s advance has reached areas around the entrance to the strategically located Al-Mokha port on Yemen’s Red Sea coast.

The reports also said the Houthi militia had taken control of Al-Mokha airport, while a large number of opposing fighters had reportedly surrendered.

The Bab al-Mandab Strait is one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints, linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.

A major volume of global trade, including oil, gas, food and other essential commodities, passes through the waterway.

Any prolonged military disruption in the area could affect international shipping routes, increase transportation costs and create additional pressure on already fragile global supply chains.

Al-Mokha port is also considered strategically important because of its location along Yemen’s Red Sea coastline.

Control of the port and surrounding areas could provide the Houthi militia with an advantageous position for monitoring maritime activity in the Red Sea.

Iranian media had previously reported that the Houthi militia had also taken control of Zubair Island, another strategically located island in the Red Sea.

Rashad Al-Alimi, president of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, warned that changes in the military situation around Bab al-Mandab could have consequences extending as far as the Suez Canal.

He said any disruption around the strategic strait could affect global trade and international shipping.

Al-Alimi expressed concern over the developing situation and stressed that protecting Yemen’s coastal areas was not only Yemen’s responsibility but also a concern for Arab countries and the wider international community.

The latest developments have raised fears that continued fighting around Bab al-Mandab could create another major disruption to global maritime commerce.

With the waterway serving as a critical link between Asian, Middle Eastern and European markets, any sustained loss of security could have consequences far beyond Yemen and place additional pressure on global energy supplies and trade.