Yemen envoy warns Houthi push threatens Red Sea shipping corridor

Yemen’s ambassador to Qatar, Rajeh Badi, said that the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels have begun a surprise offensive along the Red Sea coast, seizing positions in al-Makha, al-Waziyah and the mountain chain of Taiz province. He argued the rebels aim to secure commanding heights to threaten maritime traffic through the Bab al-Mandeb, a chokepoint linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, the Suez Canal and ultimately the Strait of Hormuz.

Badi warned that a Houthi-induced blockage could have worldwide repercussions, likening it to a "Hormuz" in these waters. He said the internationally recognised Yemeni government has opened new fronts in al-Jawf, Marib and al-Bayda, while the Saudi-led coalition has hit Saudi cities such as Khamis Mushait, Abha and Jizan with missiles and drones. The ambassador blamed Iran for openly supporting the Houthis, describing them as an extension of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, and urged the international community to back Yemen’s government as diplomatic options have been exhausted.