Yemeni Government Forces Drive Houthis From Bab el-Mandeb Strait
Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces staged a lightning advance on Monday to retake the coast around the Bab el–Mandeb Strait up to the city of Mocha, the government said, pushing the Iran-backed Houthis
Assessment
Control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait is a strategic prize for global shipping and energy transit. A Saudi-backed government advance that pushes Iran-aligned Houthis away from this chokepoint shifts the balance in Yemen's coastal war. Watch for Houthi counteroffensives or Iranian attempts to reassert influence near Mocha.