Saudi-Backed Forces Claim Control of Bab el-Mandeb Strait
Yemen’s Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani told Reuters that Saudi-backed government forces had secured effective control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, advancing along the coast with Saudi air support to seize positions in the Dhubab area. Another government source said fighting continued at a military base near the strait, and the Houthis denied that government forces had made gains. The Houthis made advances near Taiz, gaining sections of a mountain road, according to five Yemeni government military sources, though another government source denied the road had been cut.
Why it matters: The contest over Bab el-Mandeb, a vital oil route, bears on energy security, with Gulf exports already restricted by Iran’s closure of the Hormuz Strait.