Iran-aligned Houthis seized Yemen’s port city of Mocha. They advanced along the Red Sea coast toward strategic islands, posing threat to Saudi oil exports.
The development came hours after US President Donald Trump said he expected the war with Iran to end after the US midterm elections.
Yemeni government military sources said the Houthi advance strengthened the group’s position near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital global shipping route.
The Houthis also reached the Hanish Islands, increasing their potential influence over maritime traffic between the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
Strategic Red Sea Route
If the Houthis gain control of the waterway, Iran could secure another major advantage against the United States during the ongoing conflict.
Such control could restrict supplies through another key shipping corridor and potentially push global oil prices higher.
Moreover, the development could complicate Trump’s efforts to end the conflict as his Republican Party faces electoral pressure before the November midterm elections.
Yemen’s Houthi-run humanitarian operations coordination centre said Red Sea navigation remained safe for all shipping companies except Saudi vessels.
Saudi Arabia has increasingly relied on the Red Sea route after the conflict effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, which previously carried about one-fifth of global oil supplies.
Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdulsalam said the group’s operations were defensive and would end when attacks on Yemen stopped.
Yemeni, Iranian and regional sources told Reuters that Iran’s Revolutionary Guards directly guided the Houthi advance along the coast.
Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal reported that Iran had resumed producing ballistic missiles using existing components at underground facilities.
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