US threatens secondary sanctions on Iranian airlines as Houthi gains tighten Red Sea choke points
The United States announced secondary sanctions that could bar Iranian carriers from international flights after September 23, while Houthi forces push to secure high ground near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that from September 23 onward, any foreign airport, fuel supplier or ticketing company that continues to provide services to Iranian airlines could be hit with secondary sanctions, effectively cutting the carriers off from global travel. At the same time, Houthi forces aligned with Iran are advancing toward key elevations in Yemen's Taiz and Lahij provinces, aiming to tighten their grip on the Red Sea coastline and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital route for Saudi oil exports.
Maritime authorities have recorded multiple vessels struck by projectiles or debris in the Strait of Hormuz, including an LPG tanker and a ship with minor crew injuries. President Donald Trump discussed the Houthi advance with Yemeni President Rashad al-Alimi, though no direct military assistance was pledged. The U.S. is also floating a $5 billion reconstruction plan to restore damaged energy assets and develop alternative oil and gas routes that bypass the Hormuz waterway, seeking to reduce regional reliance on that chokepoint.
Why it matters
The sanctions and Houthi advances threaten global air travel, oil supplies and maritime security in a key Middle-East region.
How this story developed
- Sep 10 Yemen's multi-front war intensifies as Houthis and government forces vie for strategic strongholds
- Sep 13 Houthis announced a drone and missile strike on Saudi Sharurah military base.
- Sep 13 Saudi east‑west oil pipeline shut after a drone strike.
- Sep 13 Houthis allege Saudi forces carried out more than 50 attacks on their targets in a single day.
- Sep 14 In a post on X, the European Commission President condemned the Houthi assault on Saudi and American military sites, calling it an act of aggression. She stressed that the EU will continue cooperating with Gulf partners to ensure secure, free shipping through the Hormuz Strait. The statement also highlighted the broader goal of Middle-East stability, which the EU views as a shared interest. The Houthi group claimed to have launched dozens of ballistic missiles and drones, citing retaliation for Saudi air strikes in Yemen. Saudi officials responded by ordering air patrols in several southern regions.
- Sep 15 Houthi forces reported seizing the Greater and Lesser Hanish islands.
- Sep 15 Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met President Abdel Fattah al‑Sisi in Cairo to discuss Red Sea navigation and retaliation against the Houthis.
- Sep 16 Saudi civil defense issued emergency shelter warnings for Jeddah, Mecca and Taif.
- Sep 16 Saudi Arabia said it intercepted a drone aimed at Mecca and accused Iran-backed Houthi rebels of the plot, which the rebels denied.
- Sep 16 Saudi coalition announced a drone it said was Houthi‑linked was heading toward Mecca and triggered a brief security alert.
- Sep 16 Houthis seized coastal towns and islands at the mouth of the Bab el-Mandeb strait.
- Sep 19 Washington met Houthi envoys in Oman and secured assurances that American vessels would not be targeted.
- Sep 19 The Saudi Directorate of Civil Defence said the danger has passed in Riyadh and al‑Kharj and urged residents to continue following its instructions and avoid gathering or filming.
- Sep 19 The Houthis announced new missile and drone strikes on Riyadh and Yanbu.
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