From New York Post · · 1m 30s
Houthis seize the Gate of Tears
A week of Houthi gains on Yemen's Red Sea coast hands Iran a second grip on the world's oil routes.
In brief
A week of Houthi gains on Yemen's Red Sea coast hands Iran a second grip on the world's oil routes. Iran-aligned forces can now pressure both of the Middle East's main energy chokepoints at once, and Washington is choosing intelligence over firepower. Originally reported by New York Post.
A lightning week on the coast
Houthi fighters took the rest of Yemen's Red Sea shoreline and several strategic islands in about a week, putting them beside the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at the sea's southern mouth.
Saudi-backed forces hit back
Yemen's government, propped up by Saudi Arabia, flew 129 airstrikes on Houthi-held areas and said it destroyed vehicles and weapons near the port of Mocha.
“battle for survival”
Two chokepoints, one regime
Gulf shippers turned to Bab el-Mandeb after the Iran war compromised the Strait of Hormuz. Now Tehran's allies sit next to both routes.
“This was always the worst-case scenario, that the Iranians exert control not only of Strait of Hormuz but Bab el-Mandeb.”
Families fled in half an hour
More than 500 people have been killed in the renewed fighting, and residents were given minutes to get out.
“We fled wearing the clothes on our backs. And we took our children, as much as we could manage.”
Trump says no troops yet
After Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman asked for military help, Trump offered intelligence instead and said the Houthis had called to say they don't want to fight the US.
“The US is focused on ensuring freedom of navigation in the Red Sea while empowering our regional partners to take the lead.”
The squeeze strategy cracks
The plan was to strangle Iran's economy while keeping the fighting cheap enough not to hurt America's. Roughly 20% of global oil moved through Hormuz before the war, another 7% through Bab el-Mandeb.
“The Houthis have shattered Trump's plan.”
The one thing
Iran-aligned forces can now pressure both of the Middle East's main energy chokepoints at once, and Washington is choosing intelligence over firepower.
