Key facts
- The UN Security Council will meet Tuesday to discuss the Middle East situation.
- Houthis have seized the Red Sea port of Mokha and Mayyun Island.
- The Bab el-Mandeb strait carries about 8.7% of global seaborne trade.
- The Houthis claimed to have fired missiles and drones at a Saudi air base.
- Saudi Arabia retaliated with dozens of strikes, wounding 13 civilians.
- U.S. President Donald Trump has resisted direct military intervention in Yemen.
The UN Security Council is scheduled to convene on Tuesday afternoon to address the escalating tensions in the Middle East, particularly in light of the Houthi group's recent advances along Yemen's Red Sea coast. The meeting's agenda does not explicitly mention Yemen or the Red Sea, but it follows the Iran-backed Houthis' seizure of strategic locations, including the Red Sea port of Mokha and Mayyun Island (also known as Perim), which are situated on the Bab el-Mandeb strait.
The Houthis have also reportedly occupied the Greater and Lesser Hanish islands, though these claims await independent verification. The Bab el-Mandeb strait, approximately 30 kilometers wide, is a critical maritime chokepoint, facilitating about 8.7% of global seaborne trade and connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the broader Indian Ocean.
These developments coincide with a renewed series of Houthi attacks targeting Saudi Arabia. On Monday, the group announced it had launched numerous missiles and drones against an air base in Khamis Mushait. Saudi officials issued warnings in four southern cities, and the Saudi-led coalition reported that 13 civilians sustained injuries. The Houthis stated that Riyadh responded with extensive airstrikes.
U.S. President Donald Trump has reportedly been contacted twice by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over the past week, seeking U.S. military action against Houthi targets. However, Washington has thus far refrained from direct military intervention. Trump commented to reporters on Saturday that the Houthis were not inclined to engage with the U.S. and preferred to operate without American involvement, suggesting they were largely allowing ships to pass.