At the narrow passage where the Red Sea meets the Indian Ocean, a shift in power has quietly unfolded — one that requires no declaration of war and no open confrontation. The Houthis, a Yemen-based armed faction sustained by Iranian patronage, now exercise effective control over the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a corridor through which vast flows of oil, goods, and global commerce pass daily. Iran, without firing a single shot in its own name, has extended its reach into one of the world's most consequential maritime chokepoints — gaining leverage over energy markets, shipping routes, and the broader