# Yemen's war threatens oil and people alike > Houthi advances along the Red Sea raise global energy fears, but the humanitarian crisis affecting millions of Yemenis demands equal attention. - Title: Yemen's war threatens oil and people alike · the Guardian - Summary: Houthi advances along the Red Sea raise global energy fears, but the humanitarian crisis affecting millions of Yemenis demands equal attention. While Yemen's… - Keywords: yemen, houthis, red sea, bab al-mandab strait, oil supply, humanitarian crisis, saudi arabia, iran, maritime trade, displacement, middle east conflict, news - Source: the Guardian — https://theguardian.com/world/2026/sep/17/thursday-briefing-yemens-war-continues-to-threaten-oil-supplies-but-what-about-its-people - Published: 2026-09-17T05:45:50+00:00 - Read time: 3 min - Topics: yemen, houthis, red sea, bab al-mandab strait, oil supply, humanitarian crisis, saudi arabia, iran, maritime trade, displacement, middle east conflict, news ## Houthis seize Red Sea control Iran-aligned Houthi militants captured strategic islands and the port of Mocha along Yemen's west coast, controlling the Bab al-Mandab strait where nearly 15% of global sea trade passes through. ## 100,000 Yemenis displaced this week The latest fighting has displaced at least 100,000 people, adding to a humanitarian crisis already lasting a decade in the Middle East's poorest country. ## Two global oil chokepoints at risk With the Strait of Hormuz largely blocked since February airstrikes, Iran and its allies now threaten control of two critical maritime routes that handle a fifth of the world's traded oil and gas. ## Oil prices spike amid supply fears Brent crude jumped to $108 a barrel this week as markets fear potential closure of the Bab al-Mandab strait, forcing ships to reroute around Africa's southern tip. ## Civil war roots go back to 2014 Yemen's conflict began when the Houthi movement, championing the Shia Muslim minority, toppled the Saudi-backed government in 2015 and became part of Iran's loose coalition of armed groups. ## 150,000 killed since 2014 Most deaths came from aerial bombardment by the Saudi-backed coalition supporting the Yemeni government, which has resumed attacks this week. ## 4.5 million already displaced A population equivalent to Birmingham and Greater Manchester combined has been forced from their homes over the past decade of fighting. ## 18.2 million need humanitarian aid The UN estimates twice London's population requires urgent assistance, yet global attention has shifted to oil prices and regional consequences. ## Mocha's healthcare crisis deepens After the Houthis captured the historic coffee trade port, local reports indicated over 240 pregnant women faced childbirth without accessible healthcare. ## Houthis claim pipeline bombing The militants claimed responsibility for missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, including bombing a critical east-west oil pipeline used to move crude from Hormuz to Red Sea export hubs. ## Saudi retaliates with 450 airstrikes Saudi Arabia has carried out as many as 450 airstrikes in Yemen this week in response to Houthi attacks, escalating fears that more Muslim nations could be drawn into the conflict. ## Strait closure would reshape trade If the Houthis close the Bab al-Mandab strait, all vessels would be forced to reroute around southern Africa, with dire consequences for the global economy alongside the ongoing Hormuz blockade. ## Iran controls third of energy trade With Iran and its Houthi allies potentially controlling a third of global energy trade, the situation poses unprecedented risks to worldwide energy security. > it's more dangerous than a nuclear bomb ## Houthis extracting informal payments The UN security council has evidence that since 2023, Houthis have been extracting informal payments from shipping agencies in return for safe passage through the Red Sea. ## US-Houthi truce still holding The US reached a ceasefire with the Houthis in May 2025 after conducting airstrikes. Officials met Houthi leaders in Oman over the weekend and received assurances the truce remains intact. ## Trump rejects military response While condemning the Houthi advance for threatening freedom of navigation, Trump has rejected any military response to support Saudi Arabia, preferring to preserve the existing ceasefire. ## Saudi-Turkey-Pakistan pact untested A mutual defence agreement announced in August between Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan faces its first test, though Saudi has not yet publicly called on either nation for assistance. ## Yemen needs diplomacy, not just security Analysts criticise the US and allies for approaching Yemen's challenges with a security focus rather than diplomacy or development, allowing larger regional powers to exploit internal instability. ## Humanitarian crisis must not be forgotten While Yemen's strategic importance to global oil supplies has grown, the plight of ordinary Yemenis facing displacement, disease and starvation must remain central to international attention. > While this new international dimension of Yemen's war makes the country strategically more important to the world, it should not overshadow the plight of ordinary Yemenis ## Key takeaway While Yemen's conflict now threatens global oil supplies through critical shipping routes, the country's decade-long humanitarian catastrophe, with 18.2 million needing aid, risks being overshadowed by economic concerns.