Saudi Arabia is urging the United States to take direct military action against Iran-backed Houthi forces that have seized strategic positions along Yemen's Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical chokepoint linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. The advance, which includes the capture of Perim island and the mainland town of Dhubab, occurred Friday, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly communicated this urgency to President Donald Trump in recent conversations. While the U.S. currently does not intend to engage in direct military action, Washington has pledged to assist Saudi Arabia with intelligence and targeting support. U.S. Central Command commander Adm. Brad Cooper traveled to Saudi Arabia for coordination talks.
The Houthi expansion raises concerns about potential disruption to global shipping, particularly oil transport. The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is a vital bypass for vessels seeking to avoid the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has been accused of pressuring. The dual threat to these maritime arteries could have significant implications for global energy markets. Approximately 7% of global oil output transited the Bab el-Mandeb in June, according to data cited by Reuters.
Analysts suggest that Iran's efforts to increase Houthi leverage are a response to pressure on its own maritime operations in the Strait of Hormuz. Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior director of the Iran program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, stated that as Tehran loses leverage in Hormuz, it seeks to impact Red Sea shipping through its Houthi allies.
The recent Houthi advances follow their capture of the port of Mocha on Thursday and come after a period of rebuilding military strength since a U.N.-brokered truce in April 2022. Former U.S. Special Envoy for Yemen Timothy Lenderking noted that the truce allowed the Houthis to regroup and enhance their capabilities, making them a potent non-state actor in the region.
Lenderking also indicated that Iranian Mahan Air flights into Sanaa earlier this summer may have provided personnel and equipment to support the Houthi effort, potentially involving IRGC members. The Houthis are now leveraging the broader conflict with Iran to exert pressure on Saudi Arabia.
The rapid Houthi advance has exposed vulnerabilities in Saudi-led containment efforts. Hisham Al-Omeisy, senior Yemen adviser at the European Institute of Peace, highlighted that retreating Yemeni government forces left behind military equipment that could bolster Houthi capabilities on other fronts. The current developments raise questions about whether the Houthi advance can be contained without drawing the U.S. into another direct military engagement, especially as American forces remain focused on Iran and the Strait of Hormuz.