Houthis seize key Hanish islands, tighten grip on Red Sea shipping

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have captured the Greater and Lesser Hanish islands in the southern Red Sea, government and Houthi officials told the Associated Press on Monday, strengthening their hold on a vital maritime corridor. The islands sit about 160 kilometers (100 miles) north of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait — a chokepoint linking the Red Sea to the open ocean that has become a critical alternative for Saudi crude as Iran’s war with the United States squeezes the Strait of Hormuz. The seizure follows last week’s Houthi takeover of the port city of Mokha and Mayun Island inside the strait, putting fighters within about 20 miles of the U.S. base in Djibouti. For more than a month, Houthi strikes on Saudi oil infrastructure and Red Sea shipping have pushed global fuel prices higher and added to Iran’s leverage. Saudi-backed Yemeni forces say they are regrouping after withdrawing from the archipelago; the UN estimates more than 80,000 people have been displaced in Yemen in the past two weeks. Source: Associated Press Question: Can dual chokepoint pressure at Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb force a lasting shift in global oil routes? https://www.news4jax.com/news/world/2026/09/14/yemens-houthi-rebels-seize-more-key-islands-in-southern-red-sea-tighten-grip-on-shipping-routes/