In Yemen, Houthi advances on the Red Sea shore up Iran's position against Washington

Iran-backed Houthi rebels took control Friday of Yemen's entire Red Sea coastline, according to reporting by Le Monde. This advance ensures them access to the Bab Al-Mandab Strait, a strategic maritime passage connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.

This development comes two months after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, another crucial maritime chokepoint located in the Persian Gulf, whose control had already strengthened Tehran's position in the region, according to the newspaper.

According to Le Monde, Iran intends to capitalize on the military successes of its Houthi allies to raise its demands in any potential negotiations with Washington. Joint control of two strategic straits—Hormuz and now Bab Al-Mandab—would give Tehran increased leverage over global commercial and energy routes.

These two maritime passages are indeed essential to international oil and goods transport, and their control, whether direct or indirect, by actors close to Iran represents significant leverage in the tense relations between Tehran and Washington, according to the newspaper's analysis.

Le Monde emphasizes that this development is part of a broader shift in the balance of power in the Middle East, where Iran's regional alliances, particularly with Houthi rebels in Yemen, play an increasingly important role in its strategy against the United States.