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Houthis Take Control of Key Island in Bab el-Mandeb Strait After Government Forces Withdraw
On Friday, Iranian-backed Houthi rebels captured the strategic island of Mayun in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a swift advance threatening Saudi oil exports through one of the world's key commercial lanes.
The Houthis seized the port city of Mokha on Thursday, their largest territorial gain in years, following direct guidance from Iran's Revolutionary Guard and bringing fighters within 80 kilometers of the strait.
Crude oil prices jumped at least 5% Thursday, reaching $106 a barrel, while about 12% of the world's goods typically transit this waterway, amplifying concerns over the disruption.
Saudi Arabia responded with airstrikes against the airport in Mokha on Thursday, while President Donald Trump rejected Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's request for direct U.S. military strikes, offering intelligence instead.
The escalating conflict threatens 40 million people in Yemen, risking a return to a civil war that killed 150,000. Experts suggest the Houthi advances could grant Iran increased leverage in negotiations with the United States.
The Houthis in Yemen have captured the strategically located island of Perim. With this, the Iranian-backed Houthi fighters reportedly have control over the important Strait of Bab al-Mandeb, according to news agencies AFP and Al Jazeera, among others. "After an 18-hour offensive, they now have full control over the coastline of the Red Sea," writes the Arab news channel.
The capture of the Strait of Bab al-Mandeb will likely have major conseque…
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