On Sept. 10 Houthi forces entered the Yemeni port city of Mokha, seizing an important shipping point along the Red Sea. This marked a significant turning point in the Yemen civil war, which is at risk of erupting again. The Iran supported militia has been in conflict with the Saudi-backed Yemen government since2014, and while violence quieted after a UN brokered ceasefire in 2022, Israel’s war on Gaza and the war on Iran have helped to reignite the conflict.
The following day, the Houthis continued to advance along the coast and seized Perim Island, a critical point along the Bab El-Mandeb strait through which “ 8 per cent of global LNG trade” and 11 per cent of global shipping traverse, reported Al Jazeera. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in a call to the White House, asked for U.S. intervention in the Yemen war, which it declined, instead offering intelligence services to Riyadh.
While the Houthis have threatened and attacked international shipping in years previous, their growing control of the Red Sea coast significantly increases their likelihood of being able to make good on their threats. However, Houthi officials have stated that the strait is only closed to Saudi-linked shipping, effectively blockading the country.
