Houthis seize full Yemen Red Sea coast, key Bab al Mandeb island; government counterattack underway

Houthi forces, after an offensive launched August 6, have captured the entirety of Yemen's Red Sea coastline and a strategic island in the Bab al Mandeb Strait by September 11. The Yemeni Armed Forces are contesting key territory along the strait. This shift consolidates Houthi control over a critical chokepoint for global maritime trade, raising risks of further disruption to shipping and regional escalation.