Hendra Wijaya
Houthi fighters have established full control over Yemen's Red Sea coastline following a swift and decisive military offensive against forces loyal to the internationally recognised government. The rapid push culminated in the capture of the remaining coastal territory and several key islands situated throughout the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait, according to witnesses and government insiders.
The successful maritime advance substantially tightens the Iran-backed group's grip on one of the world's most vital commercial shipping corridors. By consolidating authority over this narrow bottleneck connecting the Gulf of Aden to the southern waters of the Red Sea, the Houthis have gained direct influence over a waterway that has become indispensable to international commerce and energy transport.
The operation gained significant momentum at daybreak on Thursday when Houthi units reached the critical port settlement of al-Makha, historically known as Mocha. After securing the port, rebel fighters promptly extended their operations offshore, deploying to capture adjacent islands along the western littoral.
Following their initial breakthrough in al-Makha, Houthi contingents maintained their southern trajectory toward the maritime choke point. Government sources verified that the advancing forces soon reached the coastal town of Dhubab, positioned right along the fringes of the Bab al-Mandeb corridor, meeting minimal resistance as state-aligned units fell back.
The offensive then pushed deeper into the waters of the strait itself. Rebel fighters transported by boat landed on Mayyun Island, also recognized as Perim, which occupies a commanding geographic position at the very center of the waterway. Government officials confirmed that the island fell under Houthi control shortly after state troops executed a full withdrawal from their defensive positions.
Citing local field reports, the Sanaa-based Yemen Press Agency disclosed that Houthi forces also took over the Al-Omari military installation. The base functions as a dominant tactical vantage point, overlooking the primary shipping lanes that run through the Bab al-Mandeb waters.
In the wake of these fast-moving battlefield shifts, an official representing the recognized administration acknowledged the extent of the defeat, stating that the Houthis had finalized their operational takeover of the entire Bab al-Mandeb district. Despite these developments across the front lines, the Houthi leadership in Sanaa has yet to release a formal proclamation publicly declaring their total control over the strait.
The Bab al-Mandeb passage serves as the vital southern threshold to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal route, while also providing maritime access to critical Saudi crude export terminals. This maritime channel offers international tankers a vital conduit to deliver oil to European destinations while bypassing the increasingly volatile waters of the Persian Gulf.
The importance of the Red Sea transit zone has escalated dramatically following the outbreak of armed conflict between the United States and Iran earlier this year. Prior to the war, roughly one-fifth of worldwide energy shipments relied on passage through the Strait of Hormuz. With that Gulf corridor compromised, maritime traffic sought out Bab al-Mandeb as a necessary alternative route, despite previous disruption campaigns in the Red Sea that had already suppressed shipping volume.
By securing total dominance over this geographic choke point, the Houthis have dramatically expanded their strategic leverage over international commercial activity. Observers note that the rebel group now holds a dominant position in dictating the safety and flow of merchant transit navigating the Red Sea corridor.
Meanwhile, there are virtually no indications that Yemeni government troops are in a position to mount a swift counteroffensive. Observers monitoring the situation from Sanaa report an absence of preparations among retreating state forces to challenge the newly established Houthi positions or reclaim lost maritime ground.
The disruption in the region has sent shockwaves through the global economy and commercial energy sectors. In the United States, retail diesel prices climbed past the threshold of $6 per gallon, while crude oil benchmarks moved to settle above $100 per barrel for the first time since the middle of May as news of the coastal capture spread.
Energy monitoring bodies have expressed mounting concern over the longevity of the supply crisis. The International Energy Agency released revised projections on Friday warning that worldwide petroleum supply and consumer demand will experience steeper contractions this year than previously anticipated. The agency noted that the ongoing warfare between Washington and Tehran is expected to prevent the restoration of normal Middle Eastern energy flows until at least 2027.
The latest coastal advances align closely with Tehran's broader regional strategy. By exerting pressure on shipping corridors and effectively constricting exports passing through Hormuz, Iran has succeeded in applying severe economic strain on the United States, driving down global energy supplies and causing fuel costs to surge across worldwide markets.
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