From mountain fighters to Red Sea power: How the Houthis rose to control Bab el-Mandeb
The group has fired missiles and drones at ships and regional targets, disrupting traffic in the waterway and hitting oil and gas facilities.
- On September 11, Houthi forces consolidated control over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait after an offensive beginning September 3. The group seized 2,100 square miles of territory, including the port of Mokha and the island of Mayyun, securing a critical maritime choke point.
- Fighting resumed along old front lines after the ceasefire collapsed over recent weeks. Houthi forces targeted the strategically important road linking Taiz to Mokha, breaking the military stalemate that had held since 2022.
- United Nations reports indicate the rapid advance forced more than 100,000 people to flee, with many making the risky journey to nearby Djibouti. Houthi military tactics include infiltration, drone attacks, and laying of mines along front lines.
- Within days of taking Mokha, Houthi authorities reopened the customs house and cut port fees by half. The group distributed 20,000 food baskets across coastal districts and offered general amnesty to fighters who had held the coast.
- Houthi control of the strait now provides leverage against Saudi Arabia in potential negotiations for political recognition. However, the escalation exposes civilians to renewed airstrikes by Saudi Arabia and its coalition allies, raising the cost of continued conflict.
14 Articles
14 Articles
For days, the Huthi militia has been controlling the Strait of Bab al-Mandab, which is relevant to global trade. With a measure, the international community could oppose them, but a single course of two states is irritating.
Today the Houthi have the favor of the Yemeni 85%. And this explains why they have managed to advance so easily and, in part, because they could soon conquer the whole country, becoming the de facto government and influencing the balances of the area. For many years the journalist Laura Silvia Battaglia studies the moves and evolution of the rebels of the [...] The article "Arsenal advanced and consensus, so the Houthi have taken the strait on t…
Houthi advance aids Iran but saps rebel support in Yemen
It took just a few days for Houthi forces to seize most of Yemen’s Red Sea coast, including the shores of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial Red Sea maritime choke point. The offensive started on September 3, 2026, with a push to cut the strategically important road linking the city of Taiz to the […]
In the space of a few days, the Huthis rebels took control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a strait essential for world trade. This capture has caused oil prices to rise to over US$100 a barrel. And poses a direct threat to international tradeThe Bab el-Mandeb Strait is a highly strategic passage. It is the gateway to the Red Sea and access to the Suez Canal from the Indian Ocean. The same strait sees about 12% of the world's trade, including 11% o…
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