Yemen’s internationally recognized government warned the United Nations General Assembly that Houthi rebel advances along the Bab el-Mandeb Strait threaten global economic stability and maritime supply chains. Abdullah Abdulkader al Alimi-Bawzer, vice president of the internationally recognized government council, told world leaders that the rebel movement is holding the international economy hostage by using navigation safety as leverage.
The warnings follow a military push by the Houthis, who have controlled Sanaa and northern Yemen for over a decade. Earlier this month, rebel fighters moved down the coast to seize the strategic port city of Mokha and nearby Red Sea islands. The territorial gains grant the group heightened surveillance over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital shipping corridor through which approximately 12 percent of global trade passes.
Global Supply Chain Risks and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait
Al Alimi-Bawzer emphasized that securing the strait remains an obligation for every global economy reliant on stable energy supplies and open trade routes. He urged the international community to block weapons and technology transfers to the rebel forces, pointing to long-standing United Nations Security Council arms embargoes, asset freezes, and travel bans targeting top Houthi leadership.
While Iran consistently denies arming the group, authorities have repeatedly intercepted smuggled Iranian weapons and components destined for Yemen. A 2024 United Nations expert report detailed extensive military coordination between the Houthis, Iran, and regional allies. Al Alimi-Bawzer asserted that the rebel faction could not have sustained its operations for a dozen years without direct Iranian military technology and expertise.
Geopolitical tensions surrounding the waterway have intensified since February, when the U.S. and Israel targeted Iran, prompting Tehran to assert control over the Strait of Hormuz. With the Strait of Hormuz facing severe disruption, international shipping has grown increasingly dependent on the safe passage through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, magnifying the economic risks posed by the Houthi coastal offensive.
Regional Military Escalation and Saudi Border Attacks
As diplomatic appeals unfolded in New York, military friction escalated in the region. The Houthi movement claimed responsibility for launching dozens of ballistic missiles and drones toward Saudi Arabia’s southwestern Jazan province. Major General Turki al-Malki, a Saudi military spokesperson, reported that defenses successfully intercepted six ballistic missiles targeting the Red Sea port of Yanbu and the city of Taif.
Saudi civil defense authorities issued safety alerts before confirming that the immediate danger had passed. Despite the ongoing cross-border strikes and the Houthis declaring a blockade on Saudi commercial shipping, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan maintained confidence in the Yemeni government’s defensive capabilities during a press briefing at the United Nations.
Prince Faisal stated that Riyadh continues to coordinate with U.S. partners to manage the conflict, noting that the internationally recognized government remains fully capable of defending the territory under its control. The United States has not renewed direct military involvement in Yemen following a previous bombing campaign in 2025, though Secretary of State Marco Rubio has repeatedly affirmed that Washington will fulfill its defense commitments to Saudi Arabia.
Humanitarian Toll and the Threat of Renewed Civil War
The renewed military campaign threatens to plunge Yemen back into full-scale civil war. The prior conflict killed more than 150,000 people and displaced millions across the Arab world’s poorest nation. Recent fighting has already triggered the displacement of nearly 130,000 individuals, left hundreds dead, and severely deepened the existing humanitarian emergency.
The internationally recognized administration continues to push for strong international intervention, contrasting its diplomatic appeals with the military strategy pursued by the Houthi movement. Observers note that while the 2022 truce temporarily halted widespread hostilities, the intersection of the Israel-Hamas war, regional proxy dynamics, and domestic territorial ambitions has brought Yemen back to the brink of widespread conflict.
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