Houthi Advances Raise Concerns Over Saudi Oil Exports

Houthi rebels have advanced along Yemen's Red Sea coast, capturing territory near the Bab el-Mandeb strait and raising concerns over Saudi Arabia's oil exports.

The Houthis' gains threaten to widen their reach to the Bab el-Mandeb, a key maritime chokepoint through which 12% of world trade passes in peacetime. The group has already captured the Red Sea port city of Mokha and several islands near the strait.

Fighting continues in and around Marib, a central city in an oil-rich province, where earlier Houthi offensives failed to capture the city. The Houthis are also threatening Taiz in western Yemen, another long-standing front line in the conflict.

The group says their aim is to force Saudi Arabia to end its blockade on areas under their control. However, analysts warn that the danger to shipping could widen, and the Houthis might extend their criteria for targeting vessels to increase pressure on both Saudi Arabia and the global economy.