Houthis Seize Mocha, Tightening Grip on Bab el-Mandeb and Red Sea Shipping
Houthi forces seized the Yemeni port city of Mocha and advanced down the Red Sea coast to strategic islands, gaining leverage over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The Houthi-run humanitarian operations center said Red Sea navigation was safe for all shipping companies except Saudi vessels. Brent crude prices jumped as much as 4% to $105 a barrel on concern over disruption to supply routes.
Why it matters: This tightens Houthi control over a critical maritime chokepoint, directly affecting energy security and global oil supply routes.