Bab al-Mandeb shipping nearly halted as Houthis tighten control

Only four vessels transited the Bab al-Mandeb Strait in the last 24 hours, a dramatic drop from normal traffic, as Houthi forces seize nearby regions. The near-halt of this critical waterway, an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, signals an escalation in the Yemen conflict with direct implications for global energy and trade flows. The situation is developing, with the full extent of the disruption and any potential international response still uncertain.