US-Houthi Deal Cements Group's Control over Bab al-Mandab, Shifts Regional Balance

Al Jazeera reports that a US-Houthi agreement, mediated by Oman, has solidified Houthi control over Yemen's western coast and the Bab al-Mandab strait, altering the regional balance of power. The Houthis deny the deal's terms, while Washington frames it as a strategic calculation. This marks a significant shift in US policy, potentially reducing immediate maritime threats but legitimizing Houthi territorial gains.