Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have taken control of the two remaining islands in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
According to a local official, Yemen’s entire coastline along the Red Sea is now under Houthi control, as they have captured the last remaining islands in the strategic strait.
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The Houthis attacked airports in Saudi Arabia
“Everything that was under our control on the west coast has now been seized,” confirmed a military official from Yemen’s internationally recognized government, which is backed by Riyadh.
This development comes just hours after the island of Mayun (also known as Perim), located in the center of the strait, was seized by Yemeni rebels, following the withdrawal of government forces.
They managed to advance within a few days
This move represents the group’s most significant advance toward gaining control of this critical shipping route.
Despite international concerns, the Houthis assure that they will provide a “safe” passage through the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects Europe with Asia, though they clarify that this will not apply to Saudi Arabia.
In a surprise attack, the militants, who already controlled a large part of the country’s northern region, including the capital Sana’a and the city of Hodeidah in the west, managed to advance toward the Red Sea within a few days.
Source: iefimerida.gr
