Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels have seized the strategic Greater and Lesser Hanish islands in the southern Red Sea, further strengthening their position around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, one of the world’s key maritime chokepoints. The latest move comes after the group captured the port city of Mocha and the strategically located Perim Island.
The Bab el-Mandeb connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is a crucial route for global shipping, including oil shipments. The Houthis’ expanding presence in the area has raised concerns over potential disruptions to commercial vessels and energy supplies, particularly as the wider Middle East conflict continues to put pressure on other major shipping routes.
The escalation is also adding to pressure on global oil markets. Analysts warn that prolonged disruption around the Red Sea, combined with problems affecting Saudi Arabia’s oil infrastructure, could further tighten energy supplies and push prices higher. The latest developments have also raised fears of a broader escalation in Yemen, where tens of thousands of people have already been displaced by renewed fighting.