Houthis Expand Control in Red Sea, Eye Oil-Rich Eastern Regions

Houthi rebels have expanded their control along Yemen's Red Sea coast, capturing key maritime areas and threatening Saudi Arabia's oil exports. This move has reignited Yemen's 12-year civil war and pushed global fuel prices higher.

The Houthis' biggest territorial expansion in years has also provided Iran with another potential source of leverage as the US eases Tehran's control over the Strait of Hormuz.

An attack on Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline, blamed on Iran-backed militias in Iraq, has added to the kingdom's security concerns and unsettled global markets.

The rebels have now set their sights on Yemen's oil-rich eastern regions, with the Saudi-backed government and various armed groups standing in their way. Saudi Arabia's most important ally, the US, appears to be staying out of the conflict for now.