Yemen's War Shifting to Red Sea

 Beirut Wire, an independent news and media company in Beirut, posted on 8 September 2026 an article titled "Yemen's Frozen War Is Thawing, and the Red Sea Is Becoming the Next Major Front."

Yemen's civil war has recently seen some of its heaviest fighting in years.  The Houthis have launched a major offensive toward western Taiz and the Red Sea coast while government forces have responded with airstrikes against the Houthis.  The conflict is increasingly becoming intertwined with the US-Iran war and focusing on control of the Bab el-Mandeb chokepoint at the south end of the Red Sea.  

Saudi Arabia's Red Sea Maritime Alliance

 Firstpost posted on 15 August 2026 an article titled "What Is Saudi Arabia's New Red Sea Maritime Alliance?"

Saudi Arabia hosted 43 nations in Riyadh in late July and launched the Multinational Maritime Defense Coalition that, so far, unites 14 regional countries to protect the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and Gulf of Aden.  It aims to counter Houthi threats coming from Yemen, secure global trade routes, and reduce reliance on Western maritime security operations.

Countries that have signed on are Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan, Comoros, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkey, and the internationally recognized government in Yemen.  Notable omissions are Eritrea, India, UAE, and Oman.  

An Analysis of the Houthi Red Sea Blockade

 Chatham House published on 24 July 2026 an analysis titled "The Houthi Red Sea Blockade: Will Collective Maritime Security Be Defended or Break Down?" by Nitya Labh and Farea Al-Muslimi.

The rebel Houthis are part of Iran's "Axis of Resistance" but retain significant autonomy.  The Houthi blockade of Saudi ships in the Red Sea acts as a deterrent against regional adversaries and reinforces their legitimacy in Yemen.

The Houthi objective is not to sink large numbers of ships, but to create enough uncertainty for commercial shipping that insurers raise premiums, companies reroute vessels, and governments absorb mounting economic costs.

Houthi Attack on Ship in Red Sea Kills Six

 The New York Times published on 11 August 2026 an article titled "Six Killed in Houth Strikes on Red Sea Ship, Yemeni Government Says" by Ismaeel Naar.  

Both the government of Yemen and Iran-backed Houthi rebels stated that Houthi missiles hit a ship in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on 11 August.  They disagree on what the ship was carrying.  The Yemeni government says food supplies and the Houthis say Saudi military equipment.  There are conflicting accounts of the ship's ownership.  

Saudi Arabia Creates Red Sea Task Force

 AEIs Critical Threats Africa File posted on 6 August 2026 an article titled "Red Sea" by Michael DeAngelo and Liam Karr.

Saudi Arabia announced on 30 July the formation of a Multinational Maritime Defense Alliance to protect shipping in the Red Sea and adjacent waterways following the Bab el-Mandeb Strait blockade of Saudi ships by the Houthi rebels in Yemen.  So far, 14 nations have joined the task force.  

US AFRICOM Commander Says No Plans for Base in Somaliland

 Somalia Today published an article dated 1 August 2026 titled "AFRICOM Chief Rules Out US Military Base in Somaliland" by Mohamed Bashir.

General Dagvin Anderson, head of the US Africa Command, said in an interview published by the US embassy in Mogadishu on 31 July that "there are no plans to build a base in Somaliland."  He added that "US policy is and remains the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia.  That has not changed."

The United States has maintained contact with Somaliland officials and supported development and security programs in the region without recognizing it as a separate state.  

Red Sea Security and US Policy

 The Congressional Research Service published on 21 July 2026 a brief titled "Yemen: Conflict, Red Sea Security, and U.S. Policy" by Christopher M. Blanchard.

In March 2025, the Trump administration designated the Iranian-backed Houthis a Foreign Terrorist Organization.  On March 15, 2025, U.S. forces began a military campaign against the Houthis which the administration said was intended to compel them to end attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea.  The United States and the Houthis agreed to a truce in May 2025, which continues to hold.  

Background of Houthis' Red Sea Blockade

 Pakistan's South Asian Chronicle published on 1 August 2026 an article titled "Houthi Red Sea Crisis."

This is a nice summary of the background of the Houthi blockade of the Red Sea and relations with Saudi Arabia.  

China Has Arranged Red Sea Safe Passage with Houthis

 Al-Monitor published on 29 July 2026 an article titled "China in Touch with Yemen's Houthis to Allow Ships to Sail Through Red Sea, Sources Say" by Jonathan Saul, Parisa Hafezi, Timour Azhari, and Chen Aizhu.  

Beijing has asked the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen to promise safe passage for its oil tankers transporting crude from Saudi Arabia's Yanbu terminal in the Red Sea south through the Bab el-Mandeb choke point.  China clears each shipment with the Houthis, who have developed good relations with Beijing.

Securing the Red Sea

 The Hollings Center for International Dialogue published in July 2026 a brief titled "Securing Strategic Waters Across the MENA Region: The Red Sea."

The current threat in the Red Sea is not confined to the closure of the geographical Bab el-Mandeb choke point.  It is shaped by persistent uncertainty caused by the security crises in the wider region.

The threat cannot be addressed through conventional naval tools alone, nor reduced to a piracy or law enforcement problem.  The brief recommends incremental cooperation, capacity building, and risk mitigation measures.

Impact of Houthi Blockade in Red Sea

 AEIs Critical Threats posted on 23 July 2026 an analysis titled "Houthi Blockade in the Red Sea" by Michael DeAngelo, Liam Karr, and Alexsandar Wiebler.

The Iranian-backed Houthi blockade of the south end of the Red Sea has already disrupted shipping in the Red Sea, causing increased costs and transit delays.  The Houthi blockade will further increase fuel shortages, negatively impact African countries that rely on Saudi fuel shipments, and strain the global economy.  

Houthis Claim to Have Attacked Two Saudi Oil Tankers in Red Sea

 The Hill published on 23 July 2026 an article titled "Houthis Say 2 Saudi Oil Tankers Attacked in Red Sea" by Max Rego.

Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen say they struck two Saudi oil tankers, named Encelia and Layla, using ballistic and cruise missiles in the Red Sea earlier this week. So far, they have forced at least 10 other ships to turn around rather than pass through the Bab el-Mandeb choke point.  

Yemen's Houthis Reportedly Ready to Attack Shipping in Southern Red Sea

 CNBC posted on 22 July 2026 an article titled "Houthis Deploy Missiles and Drones to Attack Ships in Southern Red Sea, Naval Group Says" by Spencer Kimball.

Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have completed preparations to attack shipping, including the deployment of missiles and drones positioned near the Bab el-Mandeb choke point at the south end of the Red Sea. 

The European Union's naval mission in the Middle East warned commercial ships linked to Saudi Arabia, Israel, and the United States to avoid transiting the Red Sea or Gulf of Aden.

Oil Tankers Avoiding South End of Red Sea Following Houthi Threats

 The Indian Express published on 22 July 2026 an article titled "India-bound Oil Tanker Takes U-turn in Red Sea after Houthi Threat."

Two oil tankers headed south for India and one for China toward the Bab el-Mandeb choke point from the Saudi oil terminal of Yanbu in the Red Sea turned around and headed north through the Suez Canal following threats from the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.

The tankers must now transit the Mediterranean Sea, sail around Africa, and pass the Cape of Good Hope before reaching India or China, adding significantly to shipping costs.  These are the first Saudi oil laden tankers to respond to the Houthi threat. 

Another oil tanker scheduled to load Saudi crude at Yanbu by entering the Red Sea through the Bab el-Mandeb choke point turned back off the coast of Oman.     

Houthi Threat to the Red Sea

 The Council on Foreign Relations published on 20 July 2026 a background piece titled "Another Hormuz? What to Know About the Houthi Threat to the Red Sea" by Diana Roy.

The Yemen-based and Iranian-backed Houthis' decision to impose a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia opens a new front in the U.S.-Iran war and threatens to choke off the Red Sea's 20-mile-wide Bab el-Mandeb Strait, with potentially major consequences for the global economy.

Iran War Moves to Houthis and Red Sea

 Al-Monitor published on 20 July 2026 an article titled "As Houthis Declare Red Sea Blockade on Saudi Arabia, Oil Markets Brace for Impact" by Jack Dutton.  

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels said on 20 July that it was imposing a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, as the regional war widens to threaten another key route for global oil supplies following disruption in the Strait of Hormuz.  Because of the problems in the Strait of Hormuz, Saudi Arabia has redirected much of its crude exports by pipeline through its Red Sea terminal at Yanbu.  

Ships sailing north of Yanbu for Europe through the Suez Canal will not be impacted by this Houthi action.  Those headed south for Asia through the Bab el-Mandeb choke point will be impacted and the Saudis may put at risk a large percentage of current crude exports.  If the Houthis successfully prevent the Saudis from passing through Bab el-Mandeb, global supplies could fall by as much as 7 percent.  

Iran War Intensifies US-China Competition in Africa

 The Middle East Council on Global Affairs, a policy research institution based in Doha, Qatar, published on 16 July 2026 a commentary titled "Iran War Intensifies U.S.-China Rivalry in Africa" by Mustapha Boudoumi.

Disruptions to maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz have highlighted the strategic importance of African choke points such as the Suez Canal and Bab el-Mandeb.  The situation in Iran has put increasing focus on China-US competition for critical minerals in Africa.  

Will the Houthis Shut Down the Red Sea/Suez Canal Waterway?

 Reuters published on 14 July 2026 an article titled "After Hormuz, Iran Turns to Red Sea Gateway as New Pressure Point" by Samia Nakhoul.

Depending on US and Saudi actions related to the Strait of Hormuz, Iran may ask its Houthi allies in Yemen to shut down the Bab el-Mandeb choke point, which controls international shipping through the Red Sea and Suez Canal.

What's Preventing Houthi Attacks on Red Sea Shipping?

 The American Security Project published on 7 May 2026 a commentary titled "What's Holding the Houthis Back in Bab al-Mandeb?" by Laura Bucci.

The Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen have so far refrained from attacking international shipping in the Red Sea following U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran.  The author suggests this is due to ongoing reconstruction in Yemen following earlier attacks on the Houthis by the United States and Israel, an interrupted weapons supply chain from Iran, and concern that the U.S. and Israel would resume airstrikes.  The author does not, however, rule out a resumption of Houthi attacks.

Will US Blockade of Hormuz Stir Houthi Response in Red Sea?

 The Independent published on 14 April 2026 an article titled "What Is the 'Gate of Tears'? Key Shipping Route that Could Be Attacked by Houthis and Disrupt Global Economy" by Bryony Gooch and Harry Cockburn.

The authors speculate on the possibility of Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis attacking international shipping in the Red Sea following a US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and Oman.