Houthis seize Hanish Islands, tightening grip on Red Sea trade routes

The Houthi movement reported that on Monday it occupied the Hanish Islands, a strategic step in commanding the Red Sea's secondary route to the Strait of Hormuz. The islands lie at the entrance to the Bab-el-Mandab, a choke point the Houthis have threatened with short-range weapons, according to expert Marieke Brandt of the Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften. The militia now holds elevated positions from which it could fire on ships, while maintaining that only Saudi vessels will be targeted, even as it continues strikes on Saudi oil infrastructure.

Within Yemen, the Houthis govern roughly a quarter of the western territory, encompassing the capital Sanaa and most of the population, while intense fighting persists in Taiz. The departure of the United Arab Emirates from the coalition leaves Saudi Arabia as the sole major backer, further weakening the internationally recognized government and reinforcing the Houthis' quasi-state apparatus that oversees taxes, trade and smuggling.