In the southern Red Sea, Houthi rebels have seized two more strategic islands, drawing tighter a noose around the world's most vital energy corridors at a moment when the Strait of Hormuz already lies closed by war. What unfolds here is not merely a regional skirmish but a deliberate reshaping of the arteries through which modern civilization moves its oil — a reminder that geography, when weaponized, can hold entire economies hostage. The conflict, reignited by US strikes on Iran, has revived Yemen's long-dormant civil war and drawn in powers from Washington to Beijing, each calculating the c
Houthis seize Red Sea islands, tightening grip on global shipping amid Iran-US conflict
The Houthis have tightened their grip on one of the world's most critical shipping corridors.
Mark
So the Houthis control the Red Sea now? How did we get here so fast?
Mimi
They don't control all of it, but they've seized the key choke points. The Strait of Hormuz was already closed by the US bombing Iran. Now the Houthis are blocking the alternative route—the Bab el-Mandab. It's a cascade.
Luke
But we should be clear: the Houthis declared a blockade, and they've seized islands and ports. That's not the same as physically stopping every ship. The actual impact on shipping flows is still being measured.
Mark
Why does Saudi Arabia matter so much here?
Mimi
Saudi Arabia exports more oil than almost anyone else. When their routes get cut off, global oil prices spike. That affects everything from gas at the pump to heating costs to airline tickets.
Luke
Right, but the actual economic damage depends on how much oil is actually being rerouted and how long this lasts. We know the routes are threatened. We don't yet know the full market impact.
Mark
Is Iran actually running this, or are the Houthis independent?
Mimi
Iran says they're independent. But Iran has backed the Houthis for years as part of their regional strategy against Israel and the US. The timing—escalating right after the US started bombing Iran—suggests coordination, even if Iran won't admit it.
Luke
That's fair, but we should note: Iran's denial is their official position. We can report the suspicion and the history, but we can't prove direct command and control from the reporting we have.
Mark
What does Trump do now?
Mimi
He's rejected direct military intervention. He's offering intelligence and targeting help instead. But the crown prince wanted more, and didn't get it.
Luke
And we should note that Admiral Cooper is there doing urgent meetings, which suggests the situation is being treated as a crisis by the US military, even if the political response is limited.
El Pulso
- The Houthis have now seized Greater and Lesser Hanish Islands, closing what was Saudi Arabia's last viable Red Sea escape route after the US-triggered closure of the Strait of Hormuz left the kingdom scrambling for alternatives.
- On the same day as the island seizures, Houthi forces launched missile and drone strikes on Saudi military targets, claiming retaliation for over 300 Saudi airstrikes in five days — signaling a conflict accelerating beyond anyone's ability to contain.
- Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman requested direct US military intervention, but President Trump declined, offering instead intelligence sharing and targeting assistance — a compromise that reveals the limits of alliance under the pressure of an already expanding war.
- Negotiations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz have stalled in Oman, with Iran accusing Saudi Arabia of using Yemen as a pretext for delay, while Riyadh weighs the long-term consequences of any deal for the entire Gulf Cooperation Council.
- China publicly condemned attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure and declared itself 'deeply concerned,' a signal that the Red Sea crisis has crossed the threshold from regional emergency to a challenge reshaping global energy security and great-power calculations alike.
In the southern Red Sea, Houthi rebels have seized two more strategic islands, drawing tighter a noose around the world's most vital energy corridors at a moment when the Strait of Hormuz already lies closed by war. What unfolds here is not merely a regional skirmish but a deliberate reshaping of the arteries through which modern civilization moves its oil — a reminder that geography, when weaponized, can hold entire economies hostage. The conflict, reignited by US strikes on Iran, has revived Yemen's long-dormant civil war and drawn in powers from Washington to Beijing, each calculating the cost of a world where no safe passage can be assumed.
On Monday, Iranian-backed Houthi rebels announced the capture of Greater and Lesser Hanish Islands in the southern Red Sea, extending their grip over one of the world's most consequential shipping corridors. The move follows last week's seizures of Mayun Island and the port of Mokha, forming a systematic blockade of Saudi Arabia's remaining oil export routes after the Strait of Hormuz was closed in the wake of US strikes on Iran beginning in late February.
The Houthis paired the island seizures with missile and drone attacks on Saudi military targets, claiming significant damage in retaliation for more than 300 Saudi airstrikes over the previous five days. The escalation marks the revival of Yemen's civil war — dormant for four years — a conflict that began in 2014 when Houthi rebels seized northern Yemen and has since become one of the world's worst humanitarian catastrophes. Iran officially distances itself from the fighting, with its Foreign Ministry insisting the Houthis act independently, even as Tehran's long history of backing the group as part of its anti-Israel 'axis of resistance' tells a different story.
The crisis has drawn urgent US attention. Admiral Brad Cooper of US Central Command spent days in Jeddah coordinating with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who reportedly sought direct American military intervention. President Trump declined, but agreed to intelligence sharing and targeting assistance — a carefully bounded commitment from a country already at war with Iran. Meanwhile, talks in Oman over reopening the Hormuz Strait have stalled, with Iran accusing Saudi Arabia of using Yemen as a pretext for delay, and Riyadh weighing the broader implications of any deal for Gulf states.
With both the Hormuz and the Red Sea now effectively hostile, Saudi Arabia's remaining options — the Suez Canal or the long route around South Africa's Cape of Good Hope — are costly and slow. China's Foreign Ministry called attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure 'unacceptable,' underscoring how a conflict between the US and Iran has quietly become a crisis for the entire world's energy order.
On Monday, Iranian-backed Houthi rebels announced they had seized Greater and Lesser Hanish Island in the southern Red Sea, a move that extends their already formidable control over one of the world's most critical shipping corridors. The capture represents a calculated escalation in a conflict that has begun to reshape global energy markets and the balance of power across the Middle East.
The strategic context is stark. Since US President Donald Trump began bombing Iran on February 28, the Strait of Hormuz—through which roughly one-fifth of the world's oil flowed before hostilities began—has remained closed. That closure forced Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, to pivot toward an alternative route: the Bab el-Mandab Strait, a narrow passage connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. But the Houthis, who have declared a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia, have systematically moved to choke off that escape route as well. Last week they seized Mayun Island and the Red Sea port of Mokha. Now, with the capture of the Hanish Islands, they have tightened their grip further, putting direct pressure on Saudi shipments and, by extension, on global oil supplies and prices.
The Houthis' offensive has been relentless. On the same day they announced the island seizures, the group launched missile and drone attacks on Saudi military targets. A spokesman claimed the strikes had caused "significant damage" and said they were in response to more than 300 Saudi airstrikes over the previous five days. The escalation reflects the revival of Yemen's civil war, which had been dormant for four years until the Iran-US conflict reignited it. The war itself began in 2014, when Houthi rebels seized large parts of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, forcing the government to flee south to Aden. Saudi Arabia intervened in 2015, leading a military coalition that has since conducted wave after wave of airstrikes, transforming the conflict into one of the world's worst humanitarian disasters.
Tehran maintains official distance from the fighting, even as the Houthis act as a proxy force aligned with Iran's interests. On Monday, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told reporters that the Houthis are "entirely independent actors who make their decisions based on their own interests," and that Iran does not interfere in Yemeni affairs. The statement came despite Iran's long history of backing the group as part of what it calls its anti-Israel "axis of resistance."
The situation has become urgent enough to draw direct US military attention. Admiral Brad Cooper of US Central Command was in Jeddah on Monday to discuss "the latest developments in the region" with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Cooper had been in the kingdom since Thursday, conducting urgent coordination meetings as the Red Sea crisis deepened. The crown prince had reportedly requested direct US military intervention, but President Trump rejected that request. However, Trump agreed to provide intelligence sharing and targeting assistance—a middle ground that reflects the limits of what the US is willing to commit while already engaged in bombing Iran.
Meanwhile, negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz have stalled. Iran accused Saudi Arabia on Monday of delaying talks aimed at reopening the passage, which were set to take place in Oman. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman said an agreement between Iran and Oman on opening the strait had been finalized and would be announced later, but suggested that Saudi Arabia was using Yemen as a "pretext" to delay talks on how the Hormuz would be governed under new conditions. Saudi Arabia, according to reports, has concerns about the lasting implications of any deal for Gulf Cooperation Council countries. With the Hormuz closed and the Red Sea increasingly hostile, Saudi Arabia's only remaining secure routes to Asian markets are via the Suez Canal or around South Africa's Cape of Good Hope—both far longer and more expensive alternatives.
The global implications are not lost on other powers. On Monday, China's Foreign Ministry called attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure "unacceptable" and said Beijing was "deeply concerned" about further escalation. The statement underscores how a regional conflict between the US and Iran has begun to reshape the world's energy security and the calculus of major powers watching the Red Sea.
Citas Notables
The Houthis are entirely independent actors who make their decisions based on their own interests— Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei
Attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure are unacceptable; China is deeply concerned about further escalation— China's Foreign Ministry
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