Ansarullah liberates Bab al-Mandeb

Ansarullah resistance forces in Yemen have liberated the “strategic coastal city” of

Al-Mokha from Saudi-backed mercenaries. An Ansarullah political bureau member, Mohammed Al-Bakhiti, called it “the largest capture operation in modern military history.” The operation gave Yemen “complete control of the strait of Bab al-Mandeb,” an alternate route to the Strait of Hormuz for shipping oil. ( Resistance News Network, Sept. 12)

Al-Bakhiti affirmed that the “continued passage of all ships continues except for the ships that the Ministry of Defense has announced will not pass until the ban and siege on our country and other demands mentioned in the statements of the Ministry of Defense are lifted.”

The New York Times corroborated the situation, saying that the capture of control of Bab al-Mandeb and coastal towns in the area gave Yemen a perch to disrupt shipping in another critical waterway for shipping oil out of the Middle East. The Times stated: “The price of oil briefly jumped to about $110 per barrel on Friday [Sept. 11], roughly 50% above prewar levels. That gives Iran further leverage, as high energy prices pose a political risk for President Trump as his party heads into elections in the fall.” (Sept. 12)

Yemeni control of this alternate route to the Strait of Hormuz also seriously affects U.S.-backed Saudi Arabia, which has launched over 100 air strikes against Ansarullah-held positions. Saudi strikes killed large numbers of civilians between 2015 and 2024 and slaughtered more with the most recent strikes that began after the U.S-Israeli war against Iran. 

Ansarullah’s move threatens Saudi vessels carrying oil from the East-West pipeline down the Red Sea to global markets. Saudi Arabia can still export its oil north out of the Red Sea though a pipeline near the Suez Canal in Egypt, but that route to the Mediterranean Sea is costlier and adds weeks to the voyage to Asia, where most of the kingdom’s customers are. 

Saudi Arabia’s oil exports fell last month to 3.2 million barrels a day, the lowest level in at least 13 years, according to data from Kpler, a maritime information company. (NY Times, Sept. 13)