Yemen Tells UN That Houthi Rebels’ Moves on Key Strait Threaten Global Economy

The internationally recognized government of Yemen implored world leaders on Thursday to intervene against the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, warning that their recent advances along one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes pose a threat to the global economy. The Houthis, who have controlled Yemen's capital, Sanaa, and much of the north for over a decade, recently seized the key port city of Mokha and strategic Red Sea islands, giving them superior surveillance of vessels navigating the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Approximately 12% of global trade typically transits through the waterway. The rebels have declared a blockade on Saudi shipping and warned other nations to refrain from involvement. However, Yemen's vice president, Abdullah Abdulkader al Alimi-Bawzer, cautioned that the Houthis' use of safe passage as a tool for coercion endangers not only Yemen but the entire global economy.

He urged the international community to prevent weapons and technology from reaching the rebels, emphasizing that the Houthis' prolonged control is only possible due to Iranian weapons, expertise, and military technologies. The Houthis have reportedly launched dozens of ballistic missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia's southwestern Jazan province.

Saudi authorities claim to have intercepted six ballistic missiles targeting the Red Sea port of Yanbu and the city of Taif. The escalation in fighting near the strategic shipping route and the Houthis' blockade of Saudi Arabia, the world’s leading oil exporter, have raised concerns among global markets and deepened Yemen's humanitarian crisis, with nearly 130,000 newly displaced individuals and hundreds killed.