Houthis eye 'full control' of Bab el-Mandeb, as Saudi-backed forces reel from offensive

Yemen's Houthi fighters' rapid advance along the Red Sea coast has put them in a prime position to control shipping in the Bab el-Mandeb choke point, while bolstering Iran’s leverage against the US, experts tell Middle East Eye. “The Houthis have pulled off a military victory that puts them one step closer to be in full control of the Bab el-Mandeb,” Corey Ranslem, CEO of maritime security group Dryad Global, told MEE. “I think it will actually be easier for the Houthis to exert control in Bab el-Mandeb than it is for Iran in the Strait of Hormuz because the US doesn’t have tangible military assets in the area,” he added. After days of heavy fighting along a narrow plain known as the Tihama, on Thursday the Houthis routed Yemeni forces loyal to Saudi Arabia and seized the historic and strategic Red Sea port city of Mocha. Read more: Houthis eye 'full control' of Bab el-Mandeb, as Saudi-backed forces reel from offensive Houthi fighters gesture as they celebrate in front of the Security Directorate building in Hays, Yemen, in this screengrab taken from social media video released on 10 September 2026 (Social Media/via Reuters)