The world was just taken by surprise after Iran-aligned Houthis conducted a lightning offensive, raising new concerns for gas prices. Per Reuters, it is also a major new problem for President Donald Trump as his war with Iran drags into its seventh month. By advancing south along the coast of Yemen, Houthi fighters are now in a strong position to capture the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which is known as the “Gate of Tears” at the mouth of the Red Sea.
Per the outlet, things escalated quickly when the militants reached the island of Perim on Friday. This island sits right in the middle of the strait between Yemen and Africa. It’s particularly bad news for Saudi Arabia, which has been relying on Red Sea ports to ship much of its oil since the war closed the Strait of Hormuz on the other side of the Arabian Peninsula. Now, the Houthis’ position gives Tehran potential leverage over both of the region’s main oil-shipping corridors.
