In Yemen, Houthis threaten Saudi Arabia’s oil exports — ABC News Australia
Iran-backed Yemeni Houthis have seized the Red Sea port city of Mocha and several islands near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, while simultaneously attacking Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities and tankers. The group’s offensive marked its largest territorial gain in recent years, escalated the conflict in Yemen and contributed to rising global fuel prices, ABC News Australia reports.
According to the outlet, the Houthis are also fighting near the city of Marib in the central oil-producing province and pose a threat to the western city of Taiz. Marib is a military hub for Saudi-backed forces; previous Houthi attempts to capture the city were unsuccessful.
Risks to shipping
The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is a narrow maritime route through which about 12% of global trade passes in peacetime. Following the Houthi offensive, the number of daily vessel transits through the strait fell from 35 to 25, according to shipping company Windward, but rose to 45 on Sunday.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
April Longley Alley, an analyst at The Washington Institute, said that the Houthis’ capture of Mocha and the islands allows them to obstruct shipping more easily and strengthens their role along this waterway. Valentin d’Otoille, an analyst at monitoring organization ACLED, noted that the group is currently focused on vessels linked to Saudi Arabia, but could broaden the criteria for such targets to increase pressure on the Saudi and global economies.
Negotiations and humanitarian situation
The Houthis are demanding that Saudi Arabia end the long-running blockade of territories under their control. Last weekend, Oman hosted a meeting between representatives of the United States and the Houthis, a group representative and another person familiar with the negotiations told Associated Press. The United States said it remains in constant contact with Saudi Arabia.
According to an assessment by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the latest fighting killed eight civilians and wounded another 32 people, while about 125,000 Yemeni residents fled their homes. The Health Ministry of the Saudi-backed government claims that the Houthis have killed about 150 civilians since September 3. The UN also reports that only 20% of the humanitarian plan for Yemen has been funded, putting millions of people at risk of losing access to food, medical care, water and other basic services.
