Houthis Seize Bab al-Mandab Strait as Trump Rejects Saudi Strike Request

Iran-backed Houthi forces have launched a renewed offensive against Saudi Arabia, utilizing missiles and drones to target southern towns, Red Sea ports, and energy infrastructure. Recent attacks hit a key oil pipeline and a fuel facility at the main airport in Riyadh. The Houthis have also seized control of the strategic Bab al-Mandab strait and dislodged Saudi-backed forces from Yemen's Red Sea coast, a move the Group of Seven describes as a threat to global shipping.

Donald Trump has declined requests from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to launch new airstrikes, opting instead for intelligence support and diplomatic talks via Oman. Some reports indicate Trump rejected the request outright, while others suggest he called off prepared strikes at the last minute. In contrast, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced that Britain will provide defensive air-to-air refueling to Saudi Arabia for several weeks.

Responding to the escalation, Houthi military adviser Abed Mohammed al-Thawr warned that any American military intervention would be a red line, threatening to target U.S. interests in West Asia and block American ships from the Bab al-Mandab strait. The conflict, which resumed in July after a four-year truce, has resulted in Saudi airstrikes killing civilians in Taiz and Al-Jawf. The United Nations warns that displaced persons in Yemen could exceed 230,000 in the coming months.