The Houthi armed group may take control of the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait; the Yemeni government prepares for escalation of the conflict

The Yemeni government stated on the 27th that the Houthi forces may “follow Iran’s example” and seize control of the Mandeb Strait, another key international energy transport route in the Middle East. The Yemeni government has already “prepared for a possible escalation” of the conflict. The Houthi forces, on the other hand, claimed that the Mandeb Strait has not been closed, and the recently announced maritime blockade measures “target only Saudi Arabia.” According to reports, Yemeni Foreign Minister-designate Afra Zuba told reporters at the Yemeni Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital, that the Houthi forces are imitating Iran’s tactics in the Strait of Hormuz in an attempt to seize control of the Mandeb Strait, which would result in both of the Middle East’s two major shipping lanes being blocked at the same time. Hours earlier, the Houthi forces claimed to have dispatched multiple drones to strike Saudi crude oil transport infrastructure in response to “Saudi drone incursions into Yemeni airspace.” Recently, severe fighting has again erupted between Saudi Arabia and the Houthi forces, further destabilizing the Middle East and impeding navigation in the Red Sea corridor. Data from international market service provider Kpler shows that, in the six days following the Houthi attack on Saudi oil tankers, traffic through the Mandeb Strait dropped by nearly 50% compared to average levels before the attack. (CCTV News)