Yemen’s Houthi rebels have seized the Red Sea islands of Greater Hanish and Lesser Hanish, located 160km north of the Bab al-Mandab strait, strengthening the Iran-backed group’s position near a major shipping chokepoint. The advance has intensified concerns about oil supplies after Saudi Arabia’s east-west pipeline was closed for repairs.
The Houthis have also captured the port of Mokha and Perim island in recent days. The group says it is not seeking to stop all commercial shipping in the Red Sea, but only ships linked to Saudi Arabia.
Why the islands matter for shipping
The Hanish islands are part of a rapid Houthi advance along Yemen’s Red Sea coast. Yemen’s Saudi-backed government is attempting to retake territory captured in recent days, while Saudi Arabia remains on high alert amid attacks by Iran-allied militants in Iraq. Related coverage: Saudi Arabia threatens retaliation after Houthi strikes.
Houthi ballistic-missile and drone attacks wounded 13 civilians on Monday, according to the supplied account. Air alerts have been sounding across Saudi Arabia daily as the group threatens the country. Read the context: Saudi Arabia rejects Houthi naval blockade as threat to key shipping lanes and energy supplies.
Key points
- The Bab al-Mandab strait connects the Red Sea with the open ocean and routes serving Saudi Arabia’s key Asian markets.
- The Houthi advance has put the group 32km from a US military base in Djibouti.
- The International Organization for Migration said nearly 94,000 people in Yemen had fled their homes since fighting escalated this month.
- The International Rescue Committee said about 200 schools in south-western Yemen had been converted into shelters.
- More than 2,000 people have reportedly crossed the sea into Djibouti.
Pipeline outage adds pressure to oil markets
Saudi Arabia’s east-west pipeline carries oil from the Strait of Hormuz to the Red Sea export hub of Yanbu. Officials have estimated that full repairs could take weeks, and Rystad Energy said an average 2.6m to 4m barrels a day had moved through the pipeline and Yanbu since late August. That volume is now at risk of disappearing from the market, the research company said.
Rystad’s Janiv Shah said Saudi inventories could support exports in the coming days but might change quickly. Brent crude rose 1.17% to $106.92 a barrel on Tuesday morning, while the average US diesel price reached $6 a gallon for the first time the previous week.
Analysts said earlier stock buffers have largely been used since the war began in February. Chevron chief executive Mike Wirth said those buffers had been “played out”, while Tim Waterer of KCM Trade warned that a prolonged pipeline outage and related supply loss could push prices higher.
What happens next
Saudi Arabia’s east-west pipeline is expected to take weeks to fully repair, while the Saudi-backed government is trying to reclaim territory captured by Houthi forces.
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