A Houthi takeover of Bab al-Mandab cannot be tolerated

The Houthis have seized complete control over Yemen's Red Sea coast, spanning from coastal towns to strategic islands within the Bab al-Mandab Strait, according to recent reports. This military coup enables the Iran-backed rebel group to dominate the critical shipping route that links the Gulf of Aden with the Red Sea. The route, which once facilitated approximately one-fifth of global energy shipments before the US waged war on Iran on February 28th, 2026, now falls under Houthi jurisdiction.

Reports from Taiz city indicate that Houthi fighters reached the coastal town of Mocha on Thursday morning. Subsequently, boats carrying additional fighters arrived at Mayyun Island, located at the heart of the strait, following the withdrawal of government forces. Yemeni government sources and Reuters corroborate the Houthis' takeover of the town of Dhubab, situated on the Bab al-Mandab coast, on Friday.

Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council chairman, Rashad al-Alimi, has vowed that the state will not abandon its duty to safeguard its citizens, restore its institutions, reestablish its authority nationwide, and defend its coastal areas, ports, and territorial waters. He cautioned against permitting Bab el-Mandab to become "another Hormuz" or to utilize Yemen as a tool for geopolitical coercion on Iran's behalf. He emphasized that securing the strait is paramount for international security and commerce.

This development underscores that impeding global trade has become both more feasible and more challenging to counter. The world is once again grappling with the realization that disrupting such a vital maritime artery can be accomplished at a fraction of the cost previously necessary to yield similar strategic outcomes. This shift in power dynamics, once predominantly a domain reserved for states, now poses new challenges and risks, potentially paving the way for others to emulate this approach.