Houthis Seize Bab el-Mandeb Island, Open New Iran War Front — SkimNews
Get the Geopolitics newsletter
Daily geopolitics — wars, elections, sanctions, the diplomatic moves that move markets. Free.
- Houthis captured the Red Sea islands of Hanish and the coastal city of Mocha on Thursday (Sept 10), marking their biggest territorial gains in years along the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and shifting their focus from northern Yemen to the country's long coastline.
- Saudi Arabia shut down its East-West oil pipeline on Friday (Sept 11) as a 'precautionary measure' after an attack the day before, without specifying who was responsible; the pipeline had helped Saudi Arabia more than double Red Sea exports to over 5 million barrels per day after the Strait of Hormuz disruption.
- Saudi crude supply fell 2.3 million barrels per day in August to 6 million barrels per day — its lowest in more than three decades — partly due to Houthi-linked attacks on ships transiting the Bab el-Mandeb, according to the International Energy Agency.
- Global oil prices were on track to end the week above $100 a barrel for the first time since mid-May, easing slightly after the Financial Times reported that Gulf foreign ministers would meet their Iranian counterpart Monday (Sept 14) in Salalah, Oman, to negotiate a temporary Strait of Hormuz shipping deal.
- Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called President Trump twice on Thursday (Sept 10) urging U.S. strikes on Houthi positions; Trump rejected the request, with U.S. officials telling Axios the administration does not intend direct military action against the group.
- Iran's Revolutionary Guards directed the Houthi offensive down Yemen's Red Sea coast and last week told the Houthis to escalate attacks on Saudi Arabia, promising more funding, weapons and senior officers, according to Yemeni, Iranian and regional sources cited by Reuters — though Iran publicly denies giving military direction, calling the Houthis 'not a proxy.'
- Yemeni government forces announced they would deploy weapons and aircraft to retake areas seized by the Houthis, with spokesman Col. Majed al-Nazili urging civilians to avoid routes between Taiz and Mocha used by the militants.
Why it matters: Saudi crude supply just fell 2.3 million barrels per day to a three-decade low of 6 million bpd, and the East-West pipeline shutdown now removes the country's main Red Sea export buffer at the exact moment Houthi gains close off that route — meaning Monday's Hormuz diplomatic meeting in Salalah has become the only remaining lever to keep oil below $100.
Ask SkimNews
