Advance by Iran-backed rebels gives Tehran effective control of two of the Middle East’s most important waterways; Houthis insist no cause for concern to international shipping; US diesel prices top $6 for first time.
SAANA, Yemen — Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis seized several strategic Red Sea island on Friday after capturing territory along the coast, sealing their takeover of a vital shipping corridor linking Europe and Asia.
The development is likely to deepen the Middle East war’s impact on international commerce, months after the strategic Strait of Hormuz was blockaded by Iran, which hailed its Yemeni allies’ advance on Friday.
After a week-long offensive that has left hundreds dead, the Houthis appeared to be in control of territory along the Yemeni side of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the southern gateway to the Red Sea and, in turn, the Suez Canal. (Read More)
