Trump Loses the Other Strait
Houthi forces have seized control of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a critical maritime choke point, dealing a significant blow to U.S. and Saudi strategic interests. This development complicates the geopolitical landscape in the Middle East and challenges the current administration's foreign policy goals.
Why it matters
The control of major shipping lanes by militant groups poses a direct threat to global oil supply chains and regional stability.
The Houthi advance is bad news for the U.S., and even worse news for Saudi Arabia.
Mohammed Huwais / AFP / Getty September 11, 2026, 10:40 AM ET Share Save As recently as last week, the Iran war appeared to be turning in America’s favor. The Houthis—the Yemen-based militia that is Iran’s most formidable remaining ally in the Middle East—were under pressure from their local rivals, and the Saudi air force was pounding them with air strikes. The president of Yemen’s internationally recognized government issued a triumphant statement declaring that the Houthis’ miscalculations “will open the door to their complete collapse.” The next step was easy to imagine: With their Houthi partners wounded, Iran’s leaders would be forced to back down and agree to Donald Trump’s terms.
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