Middle East Crisis: Houthis Seize Strategic Red Sea Port, Launch Missile Strikes on Saudi Arabian Border
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| Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain |
SANAA / RIYADH: Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have escalated dangerously after Iran-backed Houthi rebels successfully seized the vital Mokha port and captured the final remaining islands under government control within the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Having tightened their grip on one of the world’s most critical maritime choke points, the militant group has now launched direct cross-border strikes into Saudi Arabia.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree confirmed on social media platform X that the group targeted weapons depots and command centers at a military base in Saudi Arabia’s Sharurah region. The border offensive has reportedly left at least two people injured, heavily disrupting regional security stability.
Disruption of Global Energy Routes
The capture of Mokha port allows the Houthis to heavily restrict commercial vessels transporting Saudi Arabian oil exports. This waterway serves as the primary alternative route to the highly contested Strait of Hormuz. Affirming their geopolitical alliance, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf openly backed the insurgent advances, posting on X that the “brave Yemeni people will certainly triumph.”
Yemen Pleads for Global Intervention
The sudden territorial loss has triggered panic within Yemen’s official leadership. Rashad al-Alimi, head of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, issued a stark warning to global powers, stating that the control of the Bab al-Mandeb “is not a purely Yemeni affair, but a broader international crisis directly impacting global commerce.”
Al-Alimi urgently called for decisive western intervention to reverse Houthi control, warning that the vital lane cannot be allowed to become an autocratic bottleneck. Amidst the unfolding crisis, reports indicate that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has requested immediate military counter-measures from US President Donald Trump.