Houthis push for control of Yemen highlands

Houthi fighters have advanced in Yemen, pushing to seize strategic heights to cut off the Red Sea coast from areas held by Saudi-backed forces. According to the Hellenic Shipping News, the battles are focused on a mountainous region near the Red Sea coast, with military gains potentially giving the Houthis leverage over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. This narrow waterway links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is a critical shipping chokepoint, particularly for Saudi Arabia's oil supplies.

The Houthis, who are backed by Iran, have made significant advances in the region this month. The Hellenic Shipping News reports that they have launched strikes at the Saudi Arabian capital city of Riyadh and targeted key infrastructure, including an east-west pipeline that spans the width of the country. Saudi Arabia has relied heavily on routes through the Bab el-Mandeb to send oil supplies out to global markets.

The US had considered providing military support to Saudi Arabia, with President Donald Trump reportedly on the point of ordering airstrikes against the Houthis before calling it off at the last minute, according to The New York Times, as cited by Hellenic Shipping News.

Brief written by urgent.news from Daily Times, Hellenic Shipping News — 2 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.