If Yemen’s Houthis gain control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, their backer Iran could gain a critical advantage in its war with the US, reducing supplies through a second major corridor and further raising oil prices.

Houthis escalate attacks from Yemen to Saudi Arabia, threatening Red Sea shipping, Bab Al Mandab and global oil routes as Riyadh vows to defend its sovereignty.

The Houthis do not control the coastal areas bordering Bab al-Mandab, but they hold the large port city of Hodeida further north.

The Houthis in Yemen are making significant strides towards seizing control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Recent clashes between Saudi-backed troops and the Houthis have become…