Houthis Expand Control Near Bab el-Mandeb

Iran-aligned Houthi forces reportedly captured Yemen’s Greater and Lesser Hanish islands after seizing Mokha and other positions near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, expanding their presence around a vital Red Sea shipping route. The advances followed intensified clashes and airstrikes around Taiz, Mokha, Khokha and other fronts, with Yemeni military sources warning of a possible ground offensive and reporting that a Houthi naval assault had been thwarted. Saudi Arabia said it intercepted a Houthi drone south of Makkah, while reports said Houthi missile and drone attacks on three Saudi cities injured 13 civilians and damaged homes and vehicles; Houthi officials also claimed Saudi aircraft conducted dozens of strikes across Yemen. The fighting has reportedly killed at least 500 people and displaced tens of thousands, although several casualty and battlefield claims could not be independently verified. An attack reportedly disabled Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline, leaving Yanbu with only several days of storage and raising concerns about global energy supplies, oil exports and prices. China and regional partners condemned attacks on Saudi civilian and economic infrastructure, while Pakistan and the Muslim World League expressed support for Riyadh and Pakistan pledged efforts to ease tensions.