Houthis Capture Strategic Island Near Key Shipping Lane

The Houthi rebels in Yemen have captured a strategic island at the southern entrance to the Red Sea, near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. This development has raised concerns about the safety of oil exports through one of the world's key shipping lanes.

Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, has been relying on the Red Sea route as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has been striking ships. However, Houthi moves to close the 28-kilometer-wide Bab el-Mandeb channel have made this route more complicated.

The capture of Mayun island is a significant gain for the Houthis, who are backed by Iran. This could boost Iran's strategy of driving up world oil and gas prices to pressure the United States. The Houthi rebels have been attacking Saudi shipping on the Red Sea since declaring a blockade in July.

Saudi Arabia struck the airport in the nearby port city of Mokha, which the Houthis seized earlier this week. However, there were no reports of damage or deaths from the airstrike. The fighting risks a return to Yemen's civil war, which has killed 150,000 people and brought many others to the brink of famine.