Yemen’s Coastlines See New Clashes Over Strategic Bab al‑Mandeb Passage

Fighting in Yemen has stepped up dramatically, with forces loyal to the internationally recognised government mounting fresh counter‑attacks against the Iran‑backed Houthi movement, according to Al Jazeera. The latest confrontations are centred on the Bab al‑Mandeb strait, a narrow waterway that links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and is a key artery for global shipping.

Al Jazeera reported that both sides have deployed artillery, missile systems and naval assets in an effort to control the strait’s coastal approaches. Early‑morning airstrikes by government‑aligned aircraft targeted Houthi positions near the town of Al‑Maqah, while Houthi rockets were heard striking near the port of Al‑Mokha. Casualty figures have not been independently verified, but local witnesses described heavy shelling and a growing number of displaced families seeking shelter inland.

The Bab al‑Mandeb is one of the world’s most trafficked chokepoints, handling an estimated 5 % of global oil shipments and a substantial share of container traffic. Any disruption can ripple through international supply chains, raising freight costs and prompting rerouting of vessels. In recent months, the strait has already seen several incidents, including attacks on commercial tankers that prompted warnings from maritime security firms.

Yemen’s conflict, now in its ninth year, began in 2014 when the Houthi rebels seized the capital, Sana’a, prompting a Saudi‑led coalition to intervene on behalf of President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. Iran’s support for the Houthis has deepened the proxy dimension of the war, while the coalition’s air campaign has struggled to regain decisive ground. The shift of fighting to the Bab al‑Mandeb reflects a strategic gamble by both sides to leverage control of maritime routes for political and economic leverage.

International observers fear that escalating hostilities could trigger a broader security crisis in the Red Sea, a region already tense due to piracy and the presence of foreign naval forces. The United Nations has called for an immediate ceasefire and urged all parties to respect the safety of civilian shipping. Analysts suggest that if the clashes continue, insurers may raise premiums for vessels transiting the strait, further straining an already fragile global trade network.