Houthi advance on Yemen’s Red Sea coast threatens to obstruct Mideast oil route
Washington Post
Washington Post
Original Source
Iranian-backed Houthi rebels are mounting an aggressive offensive to seize complete control of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a critical waterway for Saudi oil exports. A Houthi takeover would significantly enhance Tehran's leverage against the Trump administration amid existing tensions over the Strait of Hormuz.
Houthi advance on Yemen’s Red Sea coast threatens to obstruct Mideast oil route - The Washington Post
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Houthi advance on Yemen’s Red Sea coast threatens to obstruct Mideast oil route
If the militants gain complete control of Bab al-Mandab Strait, it will increase Tehran’s leverage in its standoff with the Trump administration.
September 11, 2026 at 8:55 a.m. EDT
Today at 8:55 a.m. EDT
4 min
*A fighter from the Saudi-backed Nation’s Shield Forces west of Taiz, Yemen, on Thursday, in an image from video. (AFPTV/AFP/Getty Images)*
By
Rachel Chason
,
Mohamad El Chamaa
and
Suzan Haidamous
AMMAN, Jordan — Iran on Friday expressed its support for the Houthi rebels who are mounting a fierce offensive on Yemen’s Red Sea coast as they seek to seize control of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a key waterway for Saudi oil exports.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry, in a statement, called for an end to the “illegal and inhuman blockade” of Yemen, which Houthi militants, who are backed by the Iranian regime, have accused Saudi Arabia of imposing on the country for years.
The statement, carried by state media, called for an “immediate resumption of dialogue” and condemned the “unprecedented oppression and expansionism of the Israeli regime with U.S. complicity.”
If the Houthis gain complete control of Bab al-Mandab Strait, it will increase Tehran’s leverage in its standoff with President Donald Trump’s administration.
Already, Iran has largely blocked maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz in its ongoing war with the United States, putting pressure on the global economy.
Since late February, when Iran’s blockade of Hormuz began, Bab al-Mandab has become an increasingly crucial waterway for global shipping, and especially for oil exports from Saudi Arabia.
The Houthi rebels and Yemen’s military, backed by Saudi Arabia, were at war from 2015 until 2022.
That war brought Yemen to the brink of famine and led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Yemenis, according to findings by the U.N. Development Program. It ended with a fragile truce in 2022.
“What is currently happening in Yemen cannot be separated from the developments of the past decade,” the statement from Iran’s ministry of foreign affairs said.
The Houthis have in recent years grown increasingly frustrated with what they say is a blockade by Saudi Arabia, which backs the internationally recognized government in the south, on their country. The truce left the Houthis in control of the country’s north.
But in recent days, the Houthis have mounted a ground offensive that has captured key port cities along the Red Sea, including Mokha on Thursday.
Yemen’s Saudi-backed coalition forces withdrew, a Yemeni official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation. The official said that his government hoped that the U.S. would strike the Houthis — as it had done in 2025 — but that it was unclear whether it had plans to do so.
The moment represents “a huge opportunity for the Houthis to negotiate from a position of power,” said Adam Baron, a fellow with the Future Security Program at New America, a Washington think tank, who studies the Houthis.
“They have a tremendous amount of momentum behind them,” he said. “So they are going to use it to get concessions on their own terms. And if the Houthis get what they want, this will most likely be in a way that also fits with Iran’s interests.”
He said that the Houthis were able to make such rapid gains because of a combination of the size of their forces on the ground and a lack of air support.
Hussain al-Bukhaiti, a pro-Houthi commentator whose brother is a senior political officer in the group, said that the group’s goals include free movement at Yemen’s ports and airports, the exchange of all prisoners of war and the use of Yemen’s oil revenue — much of which is under Saudi control — to pay salaries for civil servants and for services across the country.
---
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WorldMiddle EastAfricaAmericasAsiaEurope
WorldMiddle EastAfricaAmericasAsiaEurope
Houthi advance on Yemen’s Red Sea coast threatens to obstruct Mideast oil route
If the militants gain complete control of Bab al-Mandab Strait, it will increase Tehran’s leverage in its standoff with the Trump administration.
September 11, 2026 at 8:55 a.m. EDT
Today at 8:55 a.m. EDT
4 min
*A fighter from the Saudi-backed Nation’s Shield Forces west of Taiz, Yemen, on Thursday, in an image from video. (AFPTV/AFP/Getty Images)*
By
Rachel Chason
,
Mohamad El Chamaa
and
Suzan Haidamous
AMMAN, Jordan — Iran on Friday expressed its support for the Houthi rebels who are mounting a fierce offensive on Yemen’s Red Sea coast as they seek to seize control of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a key waterway for Saudi oil exports.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry, in a statement, called for an end to the “illegal and inhuman blockade” of Yemen, which Houthi militants, who are backed by the Iranian regime, have accused Saudi Arabia of imposing on the country for years.
The statement, carried by state media, called for an “immediate resumption of dialogue” and condemned the “unprecedented oppression and expansionism of the Israeli regime with U.S. complicity.”
If the Houthis gain complete control of Bab al-Mandab Strait, it will increase Tehran’s leverage in its standoff with President Donald Trump’s administration.
Already, Iran has largely blocked maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz in its ongoing war with the United States, putting pressure on the global economy.
Since late February, when Iran’s blockade of Hormuz began, Bab al-Mandab has become an increasingly crucial waterway for global shipping, and especially for oil exports from Saudi Arabia.
The Houthi rebels and Yemen’s military, backed by Saudi Arabia, were at war from 2015 until 2022.
That war brought Yemen to the brink of famine and led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Yemenis, according to findings by the U.N. Development Program. It ended with a fragile truce in 2022.
“What is currently happening in Yemen cannot be separated from the developments of the past decade,” the statement from Iran’s ministry of foreign affairs said.
The Houthis have in recent years grown increasingly frustrated with what they say is a blockade by Saudi Arabia, which backs the internationally recognized government in the south, on their country. The truce left the Houthis in control of the country’s north.
But in recent days, the Houthis have mounted a ground offensive that has captured key port cities along the Red Sea, including Mokha on Thursday.
Yemen’s Saudi-backed coalition forces withdrew, a Yemeni official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation. The official said that his government hoped that the U.S. would strike the Houthis — as it had done in 2025 — but that it was unclear whether it had plans to do so.
The moment represents “a huge opportunity for the Houthis to negotiate from a position of power,” said Adam Baron, a fellow with the Future Security Program at New America, a Washington think tank, who studies the Houthis.
“They have a tremendous amount of momentum behind them,” he said. “So they are going to use it to get concessions on their own terms. And if the Houthis get what they want, this will most likely be in a way that also fits with Iran’s interests.”
He said that the Houthis were able to make such rapid gains because of a combination of the size of their forces on the ground and a lack of air support.
Hussain al-Bukhaiti, a pro-Houthi commentator whose brother is a senior political officer in the group, said that the group’s goals include free movement at Yemen’s ports and airports, the exchange of all prisoners of war and the use of Yemen’s oil revenue — much of which is under Saudi control — to pay salaries for civil servants and for services across the country.
---
* Christa Sgobba 5 movements physical therapists say every adult over 50 should do daily Earlier today
* Erica Sloan An early sign of dementia may be hiding in your voice, new research suggests Earlier today
* Ariana Eunjung Cha Why scientists are starting to worry popular supplements could harm the aging brain September 10, 2026
* Isaac Arnsdorf , Anna Liss-Roy and Natalie Allison 4 takeaways from the GOP midterm convention Earlier today
* Hannah Natanson and Danielle Paquette New York changed in dramatic and surprising ways in the 25 years since 9/11 48 minutes ago
* Column Carolyn Hax Carolyn Hax: Is sister one-upping with baby photos intentionally? Earlier today
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As news breaks
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