Iran-aligned Houthi forces have swept to control of Yemen's Red Sea coastline in their most dramatic territorial advance in years, seizing the strategic port of Mokha and the island of Mayun (Perim) at the mouth of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, officials on both sides confirmed Friday.
The rapid advance — which saw Saudi-backed government forces retreat from Mokha, just 50 miles from the strait — opens a dangerous new front in the widening Iran war and threatens one of the world's most critical oil shipping lanes. A senior military official with Yemen's internationally recognized government said the army was "stunned" that Saudi air power did not intervene, blaming poor coordination between government troops and allied militias.
The Houthis declared that "maritime navigation is safe for all companies except for Saudi vessels," vowing "escalation for escalation." Yemen's National Defense Council condemned the offensive and appealed for international support, warning the country risks sliding back into full civil war. The U.N. migration agency said more than 46,000 people have fled the fighting in the past week alone.
The coastal offensive came on the same day Saudi Arabia announced it had suspended operations of its East-West oil pipeline — the kingdom's only major export route bypassing the Strait of Hormuz — after it was struck by drones that Riyadh and Baghdad said originated in Iraq.
The 1,200-kilometre pipeline, which had been carrying four to five million barrels per day — roughly 4 to 5 percent of global supply — was hit in the Riyadh and Medina regions early Thursday, causing injuries and material damage. Satellite imagery showed fires and plumes of black smoke near pumping stations. Saudi Arabia's energy ministry said the shutdown was a "precaution."
In a striking diplomatic move, Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry said the kingdom had chosen not to retaliate "at this stage," honoring a request from Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi for time to rein in attacks launched from Iraqi soil. Iraq responded by dismissing the military commander responsible for operations in Maysan province, an area bordering Iran long associated with Iran-backed Shiite militias, and ordering an investigative council into the command. Baghdad also closed the Shalamcheh border crossing with Iran as a precaution and said a large-scale manhunt was under way.
The twin blows — to the pipeline and to the Bab el-Mandeb corridor — have put an unprecedented energy squeeze on the Arabian Peninsula, sending crude prices back above $100 a barrel. The International Energy Agency said Saudi crude supply has fallen to its lowest level in more than three decades.
Diplomatic efforts show faint signs of movement. Iran called Friday for an end to the Saudi blockade of Houthi-held areas and a return to negotiations, while the foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia spoke by phone about restoring regional stability. The GCC condemned the pipeline attack as "a dangerous escalation."
Meanwhile, Riyadh has appealed to Washington for military assistance against the Houthis, with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman calling President Trump twice on Thursday. For now, the U.S. has offered intelligence and targeting support but declined direct military action.
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