‘A f***-up of epic proportions’: Blame game begins after Houthis’ lightning advance down Red Sea coast
Houthi forces have captured the strategic port of Mocha and Perim Island, effectively gaining control over key shipping routes in the Red Sea. The rapid advance has raised concerns about potential disruptions to global oil supplies and the escalation of a second front in the conflict between the United States and Iran.
Why it matters
The loss of these strategic points threatens global energy security and shipping lanes, potentially impacting oil prices and geopolitical stability ahead of US elections.
The desperate pleas for air cover from Yemeni generals started coming mid-morning on Thursday. An advance by the Iran-backed Houthis toward Yemen’s strategic port city of Mocha was in full swing, and backup support from chief ally Saudi Arabia was nowhere in sight. “The Houthis committed everything they had – waves upon waves of fighters … along with their available ballistic missiles and weapons,” a senior Yemeni source attached to their military forces told CNN. The source said he contacted the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) and was assured the US was “watching the situation closely and that Saudi air support was coming.” “But the air support never came,” the source said. “And Mocha has now fallen.” Hours later, on Friday, the Houthis captured another key coastal asset, Perim Island, at the mouth of the Red Sea.
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