Houthi Rebels Seize Red Sea Islands, Fueling Fears Over Oil Supply Route

Yemen's Houthi rebels have seized the islands of Greater and Lesser Hanish in the Red Sea, according to a report by The Guardian, extending the Iran-backed group's reach over a key maritime chokepoint and adding to concerns about a potential disruption to global oil supplies.

The islands lie near the Bab al-Mandab strait, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, through which a significant share of global oil and trade passes. The Guardian reported that the seizure follows the Houthis' recent capture of the port of Mokha and Perim island, also located in the strait, marking what the report described as a swift advance by the group along Yemen's Red Sea coast.

Analysts cited by The Guardian warned that the Houthis' growing control over this stretch of coastline could heighten the risk of disruptions to oil shipments passing through the strait, a route long regarded as strategically vital for energy markets.

The report characterized the moves as part of a broader pattern of territorial gains by the Houthis along Yemen's western coast, though further details on the circumstances of the islands' capture, any resistance encountered, or the response from other regional or international parties were not specified in the available material.

The Bab al-Mandab strait connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and has been a focal point of tension in recent years amid the wider regional conflict involving the Houthis, who control large parts of Yemen and have previously targeted shipping in the area.