Today 7:10 AM
Iran Major Developments
Major development — Houthis seize Mocha, threatening a second global oil chokepoint
There is one consequential new development this morning, September 10.
Confirmed: Iran-aligned Houthi forces have seized the strategic Yemeni port city of Mocha, according to four Yemeni government military sources cited by Reuters. Houthi forces are also attacking the Hanish Islands, while Saudi-backed government forces are retreating south toward Dhubab, directly beside the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
The next geographical targets matter enormously: Dhubab and Perim Island sit directly astride the Bab el-Mandeb approaches. Reuters reports that control of those positions is considered key to gaining effective control over the strait.
Why this matters: Until now, our primary energy concern has been Iran's ability to disrupt the Strait of Hormuz. The Houthi advance creates the possibility that an Iran-aligned force could simultaneously exert much greater pressure on Bab el-Mandeb—the ...
