The Houthis Have Saudi Arabia Trapped Between Two Chokepoints

The Houthis have not technically seized the entire Red Sea, but that distinction is becoming almost meaningless for Saudi Arabia. Their forces have swept down Yemen’s western coastline, taking Mokha, Dhubab, the Hanish islands, and most importantly Mayyun, also known as Perim, sitting directly inside the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. They now control nearly the entire Yemeni coastline along the Red Sea and possess something far more valuable than territory. They have acquired leverage over one of