WASHINGTON, Sept 13: A rapid advance by Iran-aligned Houthi fighters in Yemen has placed the group in a position to threaten one of the Middle East’s most important maritime routes, presenting a fresh challenge for U.S. President Donald Trump as the wider conflict with Iran enters its seventh month.
The Houthis have moved south along Yemen’s coastline, strengthening their ability to disrupt traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a strategic passage connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. The development could give Tehran greater influence over two major energy routes in the region.
Houthi fighters reached Perim Island on Friday, located in the middle of the narrow waterway between Yemen and Africa. The development is particularly concerning for Saudi Arabia, which has increasingly relied on Red Sea ports to export oil after disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
The situation comes as Trump faces mounting pressure over the economic consequences of the broader conflict. Higher U.S. gasoline prices have added to concerns ahead of the November midterm elections, while Iran has continued to resist pressure despite suffering military and economic setbacks.
Stephen Wertheim, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said the Houthi advance had undermined Washington’s strategy of applying economic pressure on Tehran while avoiding a major expansion of the military conflict.
Risk of Direct Intervention
Washington faces a difficult choice over how to respond to the growing threat. Allowing the Houthis to restrict shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb could increase energy costs and disrupt international trade. However, directly confronting the group could open another military front for an already heavily engaged U.S. force.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke with Trump on Thursday and sought U.S. military assistance against the Houthis, according to three sources familiar with the discussion. Washington has so far declined to intervene directly but has agreed to provide intelligence support, the sources said.
Trump confirmed his conversation with the Saudi leader on Saturday and said the Houthis had also contacted his administration, asking the United States not to become directly involved.
A senior Trump administration official said Washington’s priority was protecting national security interests, including maintaining freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, while encouraging regional countries to take the lead in addressing security challenges.
Saudi Arabia, Iran and the Houthis did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry said the conflict in Yemen could not be resolved through blockades or military action and called for dialogue.
Another Strategic Chokepoint
The latest development has raised concerns that Iran could gain influence over both of the region’s principal maritime energy chokepoints.
The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies passed before the conflict, has already faced severe disruption following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.
A sustained closure or major disruption of the Bab el-Mandeb would create another significant shock to global markets. Analysts estimate that the waterway is linked to around 7 per cent of global petroleum flows and approximately 12 per cent of worldwide trade.
David Schenker, a former U.S. assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, described simultaneous Iranian influence over the two waterways as a worst-case scenario, saying it would provide Tehran with substantial leverage over global energy routes.
Analysts and former U.S. officials say Trump may now have to decide whether to commit American military resources to counter the Houthis or allow Saudi Arabia and its regional partners, along with Yemen’s internationally recognized government, to confront the group themselves.
The Houthis seized Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, 12 years ago. A Saudi-led military campaign subsequently failed to remove them from power.
Any renewed U.S. military campaign could also undermine an agreement reached last year under which Washington halted strikes against the Houthis in return for the group stopping attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea.
Pressure on U.S. Military Resources
A new confrontation would place additional demands on the U.S. military, particularly its naval and air forces.
American officials say countering the Houthis could require substantial intelligence, surveillance and military assets to locate and strike positions that have changed since the previous campaign.
The possible interception of Houthi drones and missiles could also increase pressure on U.S. stocks of air-defense interceptors and other precision weapons.
A senior administration official rejected concerns that American military resources were becoming overstretched, saying the United States had sufficient ammunition and weapons to meet the president’s strategic objectives.
Tim Lenderking, a former U.S. special envoy for Yemen, said Washington should increase intelligence sharing with Saudi Arabia and provide greater diplomatic and material assistance to Yemen’s internationally recognized government if Trump remains unwilling to launch direct military action.
The rapid developments in Yemen have therefore created a difficult strategic calculation for Washington: contain the maritime threat without becoming drawn into another prolonged conflict, while preventing disruptions to a vital trade and energy corridor from worsening the broader economic impact of the regional war.