Houthis Seize Red Sea Islands, Tighten Grip on Key Shipping Lane
Houthi rebels have captured strategic Red Sea islands near Bab el-Mandeb, tightening control of a major shipping route as fighting escalates.
Yemen's Houthi rebels have captured additional strategic islands in the southern Red Sea, consolidating their hold over a vital maritime corridor, according to Yemeni government and Houthi officials.
Fighters were deployed on Greater Hanish and Lesser Hanish, located about 160 kilometres north of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the officials said. The takeover followed the withdrawal of hundreds of forces allied with the Yemeni government from the archipelago.
The latest advance comes after the rebels seized the port city of Mokha and the island of Mayun, situated inside the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, from Saudi-backed government forces last week. A Yemeni government official described the loss as a "painful" defeat, while the government pledged to send additional forces to the Red Sea coast.
Violence intensified on Sunday, with government forces launching attacks against the Iran-backed Houthis along the Red Sea and the rebels firing into neighbouring Saudi Arabia, which supports Yemen's government.
The escalation, particularly Houthi strikes on Saudi oil infrastructure and shipping in the Red Sea, adds pressure on global oil supplies and prices. It could also give Iran leverage in its ongoing conflict with the United States.
As Yemen risks sliding into another civil war, the United Nations estimates that more than 80,000 people have been displaced by the fighting since the start of September in the impoverished country.