Houthi Advances Threaten Red Sea Shipping and Energy Markets

According to government sources, witnesses and regional media reports, Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement has seized the last government-held towns on Yemen’s Red Sea coast and extended its presence into the Bab al-Mandab strait. Houthi fighters reportedly captured Mocha, advanced to Dhubab, took the Al-Omari camp overlooking the strait and landed on Mayyun, or Perim, Island after government forces withdrew. However, there has been no official announcement from the Houthi authorities confirming full control of Bab al-Mandab. The reported gains would give the Houthis significant leverage over one of the world’s most important maritime routes. Bab al-Mandab connects the Gulf of Aden with the Red Sea and provides access toward the Suez Canal, Saudi oil terminals and European markets. Shipping traffic in the Red Sea had already declined during an earlier Houthi campaign against commercial vessels. The latest developments come amid a broader US-Iran war, disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz and rising global energy prices. US diesel prices reportedly exceeded $6 per gallon, while oil prices were expected to close above $100 per barrel. A Houthi politburo member sought to reassure international shipping operators, saying navigation and trade through the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab were safe. Meanwhile, reports said Saudi Arabia carried out air strikes on Mocha airport, although Al Jazeera could not independently verify the claims or any casualties. Iran called for an end to Saudi Arabia’s blockade of Yemen and a return to negotiations. The escalation illustrates how the Yemen conflict could widen into a broader regional crisis, with Iranian, Saudi, Pakistani and Omani diplomatic efforts focused on stability and the possible reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg has warned the UN Security Council that Yemen has entered “a new and more dangerous phase of war” after the collapse of the country’s fragile four-year truce. His warning followed the Houthi rebels’ capture of the strategic port city of Mocha, near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a key route for global trade and energy shipments. Grundberg said fighting had spread across Taiz, Hodeidah, Marib, al-Jawf and al-Bayda, killing civilians and displacing more than 11,400 households since September 3. He also condemned Houthi attacks on civilian and energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, urging the group to stop attacks and threats against commercial vessels. He called for civilian protection, continued diplomatic engagement and preservation of a political settlement, warning that the conflict’s effects would extend beyond Yemen. Representatives of Yemen’s internationally recognised government, Saudi Arabia, the United States and the Gulf Cooperation Council condemned the Houthi escalation. Yemen’s UN ambassador, Abdullah Ali Fadhel Al-Saadi, said at least 6,145 families—about 44,000 people—had been displaced. Saudi Ambassador Abdulaziz al-Wasil said Houthi strikes on September 8 wounded 73 civilians and threatened both regional stability and international shipping. He called for enforcement of UN resolutions 2216 and 2722 and an end to support for the attacks. The United States accused Iran of enabling the Houthis and demanded an immediate end to the attacks and the unconditional release of detained UN, humanitarian and diplomatic personnel. Gulf Cooperation Council representatives also called for accountability, tighter enforcement of the arms embargo and sanctions. Meanwhile, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warned that food shortages and malnutrition were worsening. Yemen is now classified as a hunger hotspot of highest concern, with an estimated 18.3 million people facing acute food insecurity and more than 2.2 million children under five suffering acute malnutrition, including over half a million severe cases.

The live report describes two interconnected developments: a sharp increase in U.S. diesel prices and a rapidly worsening conflict in Yemen that threatens Red Sea shipping and global energy markets. The national average price of diesel reached $6.05 per gallon, up more than 60% from $3.71 a year earlier. Experts warned that transportation companies and other businesses could pass higher fuel costs on to consumers. In Yemen, Iranian-backed Houthi rebels reportedly seized the strategic Red Sea port of Mokha and the nearby island of Mayun, also known as Perim, in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The waterway connects the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden and is a major route for international commerce and Saudi oil exports. Control of Mokha and Mayun could make it easier for the Houthis to threaten tankers and other commercial vessels, while giving Iran additional leverage against the United States and Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia responded with airstrikes, including attacks on Mokha’s airport. Iran called for an end to Saudi Arabia’s blockade of Yemen and urged an immediate return to negotiations. A Houthi political official attempted to reassure international shipping interests, saying navigation through the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb remained safe, despite the group’s territorial advances. The escalation has also produced a major humanitarian crisis. The International Organization for Migration said at least 46,000 people had been displaced since the fighting intensified, more than double the figure reported earlier in the week. Villages have reportedly emptied, roads have been cut, and access to humanitarian assistance has become increasingly difficult. The report also says President Trump rejected Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s request for U.S. strikes, although Washington agreed to provide intelligence and targeting support.

The CBS News live update reports escalating tensions involving the United States, Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Yemen and regional waterways. Sources told CBS News that several U.S. fighter jets at a Jordanian military base were damaged in Iranian strikes on Wednesday. Iranian state media said the attacks targeted U.S. assets across the region in retaliation for American strikes on Iranian oil tankers. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard also claimed that it destroyed a U.S. Saildrone Explorer unmanned surface vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, while the U.S. military said an underwater drone captured by Iran had malfunctioned. The conflict is also affecting critical maritime routes. Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis reportedly seized the Red Sea port of Mokha, potentially improving their ability to attack ships traveling through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, an important route for Saudi oil exports. At the United Nations, Yemen’s envoy warned that the seizure marked the end of more than four years of relative calm and urged international action against the Houthis. Saudi Arabia and the United States called for stronger measures to deter attacks and restrict the group’s access to weapons and military resources. The Strait of Hormuz remains another major flashpoint. South Korean and Iranian foreign ministers discussed the waterway after President Trump repeatedly pressured Seoul to contribute to its security. South Korea has sent a fact-finding team but has not decided whether to deploy military forces, while Iran warned that such assistance could have serious consequences. Israel separately announced the destruction of Hezbollah’s underground infrastructure on the Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon. The network reportedly included tunnels, weapons, mines and explosive drones. Israel said it would continue operating in a security zone despite an agreement requiring the Lebanese army eventually to assume responsibility. Amid the regional instability, U.S. diesel prices approached $6 per gallon, raising concerns about higher transportation, construction, farming and consumer costs. Trump said he believed the war would end immediately after the midterm elections because Iran could not continue fighting.

Iran-backed Houthi forces have reportedly seized Mokha, a strategic Yemeni port on the Red Sea, marking a significant advance in their six-month conflict with the United States and a setback for Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni forces it supports. CNBC could not independently verify the report, which was attributed to The Associated Press and Yemeni and Houthi officials. Mokha lies about 75 kilometers north of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical maritime chokepoint linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and global trade routes. Control of the port could give the Houthis greater leverage over shipping and enable further advances toward the strait. The development also raises concerns about Iranian pressure on both the Bab el-Mandeb and the Strait of Hormuz, the two major waterways surrounding the Arabian Peninsula. Analysts warn that the Houthi advance could increase threats to Red Sea shipping, Saudi energy infrastructure and crude exports. Hamish Kinnear of Verisk Maplecroft described the capture as a major blow to Saudi Arabia and said it could lead to a tighter Houthi grip on the Bab el-Mandeb. He also suggested that a new truce is unlikely because both Tehran and Washington believe time favors their positions. The conflict is already affecting energy markets. Oil prices remained above $100 per barrel for the week despite falling on Friday, with Brent at $105.37 and West Texas Intermediate at $100.76. ING analysts said market participants are reassessing the duration and severity of the conflict, while oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz remain below prewar levels. They warned that the capture of Mokha further increases risks to shipping and regional supply, although U.S. convoys and alternative export routes could cushion some price effects.

Fighting between Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement and the internationally recognized government has sharply intensified, raising concerns that Yemen could become another front in the wider US-Iran conflict. The Houthis seized the strategically important port city of Mokha, the town of Dhubab and the island of Perim, all located near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. The waterway has become increasingly important for Saudi oil exports after Iran blockaded the nearby Strait of Hormuz. Houthi control of the area could give Tehran additional leverage by threatening international shipping and Saudi trade routes. The escalation has also spread directly to Saudi Arabia. The Houthis launched dozens of ballistic missiles and drones at four Saudi cities, while Saudi Arabia reportedly responded with airstrikes across four Yemeni provinces. Analysts cited by DW described the situation as moving toward a full-scale war. The conflict follows a period of relative calm after a UN-brokered truce ended the most intense phase of the Saudi-led intervention in 2022. Experts say the Houthis are now militarily and institutionally stronger than they were in 2015, while the anti-Houthi camp remains divided. Yemen is effectively fragmented among the Houthis, the government, tribal groups and southern forces. Saudi Arabia appears more likely to be trying to restore deterrence and improve its negotiating position than to seek an outright military victory. Pakistan, which has a new defense agreement with Saudi Arabia and Turkey, is expected to avoid direct participation while providing limited support and attempting to preserve its role as a mediator. The humanitarian consequences are severe. Nearly 200 people have reportedly been killed in the latest fighting and around 18,500 displaced. UN agencies and rights groups warn that renewed conflict could replicate the devastating civilian toll of Yemen’s earlier war, in a country where nearly two-thirds of the population already needs humanitarian assistance.

Yemen’s Houthi movement has expanded its control over strategically important territory near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a narrow passage connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and one of the world’s key shipping routes. After capturing the port city of Mokha, the Iran-backed group reportedly seized Perim Island—also known as Mayyun—which lies within the strait itself. Yemeni government sources also said Houthi forces captured Dhubab, a coastal town south of Mokha and closer to the strait’s narrowest point. Government forces reportedly withdrew from Perim. The developments raise concerns about the vulnerability of Red Sea shipping, particularly as the route has become an important alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, where maritime traffic has been disrupted amid the United States’ war with Iran. Houthi spokesperson Abdulsalam said navigation and international trade remained safe and that the group’s operations were limited to specific targets. However, the Houthis have previously attacked international shipping in the Red Sea, claiming solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. The territorial gains come amid renewed fighting between the Houthis and Yemen’s internationally recognized government following four years of relative calm. The capture of Mokha represents the Houthis’ largest territorial advance since a United Nations-brokered truce in 2022. The group already controls the capital, Sanaa, and much of northern and western Yemen, while the internationally recognized government is based in Aden and receives substantial Saudi support. The Houthis also accused Saudi Arabia of conducting 10 airstrikes in Taiz province, including the Dhubab district. The latest escalation threatens to deepen Yemen’s civil war, which has killed more than 150,000 people and pushed many others toward famine.

The article reports that Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement captured Mayyun Island, also known as Perim, after government forces withdrew, giving the group control over the Bab el-Mandeb, a strategic strait linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the Suez Canal. Local officials and eyewitnesses said Houthi fighters deployed on the island and along the coast. The group reportedly also seized the town of Dhubab, the village of Murad, the port city of Mokha, and Zuqar Island, while besieging government troops on the Hanish islands. Government sources said more than 2,000 soldiers may be trapped and have appealed for food, water, rescue, and air support. The reported takeover has major international implications because Bab el-Mandeb is a major route for container shipping and energy supplies. Combined with Iran’s reported blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the article says roughly a third of global seaborne trade could be placed under hostile control. The Houthis have previously attacked shipping in the region and were reportedly considering imposing passage fees, although Houthi political official Hazem al-Assad said international navigation remained safe. The offensive is presented as part of a broader escalation in Yemen’s civil war and the regional confrontation involving Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United States. Saudi Arabia has responded to Houthi attacks with airstrikes, while oil prices reportedly exceeded $100 per barrel. A recent Saudi mutual-defense agreement with Turkey and Pakistan is unlikely to produce immediate military involvement. The United States has threatened action against any Red Sea blockade but is reportedly reluctant to intervene, while President Donald Trump allegedly rejected a Saudi request for strikes. Iran praised the Houthi advance, and reports claimed that Iranian Revolutionary Guard advisers were assisting the group, though Euronews said those claims could not be independently verified.

France 24’s live Middle East coverage reports that Iran-aligned Houthi rebels in Yemen have seized Perim Island, also known as Mayyun, in the Red Sea. A local government official and eyewitnesses said the takeover places the Houthis in control of a strategically important position in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a vital maritime route linking Asia and Europe. The development would complete the group’s reported effort to dominate the area around the strait, though the account is attributed to local sources rather than independently verified in the article. The report also recaps several major developments from the previous day. Saudi authorities issued brief warnings about possible danger in two areas near the Yemeni border after the Houthis claimed that Riyadh had carried out dozens of air strikes in Yemen. The article does not provide further details or independent confirmation of either the alleged strikes or the warnings. Elsewhere, the US Geological Survey recorded a magnitude 4.1 earthquake in southern Lebanon. This occurred after the Israeli military said it had destroyed tunnels belonging to Hezbollah, linking the seismic event to a wider context of heightened regional tensions, although the article does not claim the earthquake was related to the military operation. The report further states that Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said its navy had targeted a US unmanned surface vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. Together, the developments point to escalating military and security risks across key waterways and conflict zones in the Middle East, including the Bab al-Mandab and Hormuz straits. The liveblog was issued on September 11, 2026, and updated later that day, with reporting attributed to France 24, Reuters, the Associated Press and Agence France-Presse.

Iran-backed Houthi rebels have seized Mocha, a strategically important port city on Yemen’s Red Sea coast, in a major escalation of their offensive against Saudi-backed government forces. A Yemeni military source said the Houthis were advancing toward the Bab al-Mandab Strait after taking Mocha, while Houthi forces also claimed control of Zuqar Island. The strait connects the Red Sea and Suez Canal with the Indian Ocean and is a vital shipping route between Asia and Europe. The capture has heightened concerns about Houthi control over Yemen’s coastline and their ability to disrupt maritime traffic with missiles and drones. Security analyst Andreas Krieg said control of the coast would strengthen the group’s “maritime coercion.” The conflict has already contributed to disruption in Gulf shipping and rising oil prices, with US crude surpassing $100 per barrel and Brent crude having crossed that threshold the previous day. Saudi Arabia reportedly conducted 64 airstrikes in Yemen over a 24-hour period after Houthi missile and drone attacks on southern Saudi cities wounded dozens of people. The offensive has displaced nearly 20,000 people, while more than 500 people—mostly combatants—have reportedly been killed since fighting resumed the previous week. Civilians fleeing Mocha and nearby areas described an apocalyptic atmosphere and alleged looting by gangs. The renewed violence began in July after a confrontation involving an Iranian aircraft and Saudi control of Yemeni airspace. It threatens to return Yemen to the prolonged war and humanitarian crisis that followed the Houthi seizure of Sanaa and the Saudi-led intervention in 2015. The United Nations Security Council met to address the escalation, with UN envoy Hans Grundberg warning that the conflict could develop into a far more dangerous regional crisis and calling for immediate de-escalation.

Iran-backed Houthi rebels have seized Yemen’s strategic port city of Mokha, according to Houthi officials and representatives of Yemen’s internationally recognized government. Located roughly 50 miles from the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, Mokha provides a potential new base for threatening one of the world’s most important maritime routes. The strait connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and normally carries about 12% of global goods, while its importance to oil supplies has increased because shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has been disrupted during the wider Iran-U.S.-Israel conflict. The capture is the Houthis’ largest territorial gain since a 2022 truce brought relative calm to Yemen after years of civil war. Residents reported seeing Houthi forces throughout Mokha, while markets and roads were closed. Doctors fled a seized hospital, and civilians moved south toward Aden, which is controlled by Saudi-backed forces. The Houthis have also advanced elsewhere in Taiz province, gaining control of an important supply route. Analysts warn that the takeover could allow the Houthis to intensify attacks on Red Sea shipping, potentially including the use of sea mines. Commercial traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb has already fallen by about 60% since Houthi attacks began in late 2023. The group’s new position could also strengthen Iran’s leverage in negotiations with the United States and increase pressure on Saudi Arabia, a U.S. ally. The advance has raised fears that Yemen’s civil war could return to full scale. At an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting, envoy Hans Grundberg said the offensive marked the end of Yemen’s period of relative calm and warned that its consequences could extend beyond the country. Yemen, Saudi Arabia and the United States urged stronger international action, including sanctions and measures to restrict arms supplies to the Houthis. Government forces reportedly launched airstrikes near Taiz, although Houthi claims about additional strikes could not be independently verified.

The article examines how renewed fighting in Yemen involving the Iran-backed Houthi movement could further disrupt oil supplies and raise fuel prices worldwide. Houthi forces reportedly advanced along Yemen’s Red Sea coast and claimed control of the port city of Mokha, near the Bab el-Mandeb waterway, a crucial shipping route. At the same time, the Houthis launched attacks on Saudi Arabia, including strikes that Saudi officials said damaged oil facilities and temporarily halted operations. The violence coincided with renewed military exchanges between the United States and Iran in the Persian Gulf. Brent crude prices rose to nearly $110 a barrel, while Capital Economics warned that fighting on both sides of the Arabian Peninsula could cause additional energy-price increases. In the United States, AAA reported that gasoline prices had risen more than 34% from the previous year to an average of $4.29 per gallon, while diesel prices were up more than 63% to $6.05. Saudi Arabia’s oil exports have also fallen sharply, reaching their lowest level in more than a decade, according to data from Kpler. Houthi attacks near Bab el-Mandeb have forced Saudi tankers to take longer and more expensive routes through the Suez Canal and around Africa. The conflicts are also limiting the ability of Gulf producers to export oil and gas, prompting countries to draw on emergency reserves and placing further upward pressure on prices. The article places the escalation in the broader context of Yemen’s decade-long war, noting that the Houthis still control the capital, Sanaa. The fighting has displaced at least 18,500 people, according to the International Organization for Migration, with families arriving at already under-resourced humanitarian sites. The United States describes the Houthis as an Iranian proxy, while Iran says the group acts independently.

Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement has reached Perim, a strategically important island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, according to four sources in Yemen’s internationally recognised government who spoke to Reuters. The development could strengthen the Houthis’ ability to influence one of the world’s most important maritime corridors, which connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and serves as a major route for energy shipments. Two additional sources from the Saudi-backed Yemeni government said government forces had withdrawn from Perim and that Houthi forces had captured the mainland coastal town of Dhubab, located opposite the island. If the Houthis were to establish full control over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, Iran could gain a significant strategic advantage in its conflict with the United States. Such control could restrict supplies through another major global transit route and push oil prices sharply higher. The article places the development in the wider context of disruptions around the Arabian Peninsula. It notes that Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter, has depended on the Red Sea shipping route after the conflict involving Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately one-fifth of the world’s oil previously passed. A further concern for Riyadh emerged when satellite imagery showed smoke near Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline on Thursday. The pipeline has become an important alternative route for transporting Saudi crude exports away from Hormuz. Although the article does not establish the cause of the smoke, its proximity to critical energy infrastructure adds to concerns about the vulnerability of regional oil supplies and shipping routes. Together, the Houthi advance and the reported imagery suggest a potentially widening threat to maritime commerce, energy markets and the strategic balance between Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United States.

According to four Yemeni government sources cited by Reuters, Iran-aligned Houthi forces reached Perim, a strategically important island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, on Sept. 11. Two other sources said internationally recognised, Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces had withdrawn from the island and that the Houthis had captured the mainland coastal town of Dhubab, which faces Perim. The developments could give the Houthis greater leverage over one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints. The Bab el-Mandeb connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is an alternative route to the Strait of Hormuz, which the article says has effectively been closed by the Iran-U.S. conflict. Control of both corridors could reduce global energy shipments, strengthen Iran’s position and push oil prices higher. Saudi Arabia has increasingly relied on its East-West oil pipeline to move crude from its eastern coast to Red Sea ports. Satellite imagery showed smoke near the pipeline, although Saudi authorities and Aramco had not confirmed any incident. The International Energy Agency reported that Saudi crude supply fell by 2.3 million barrels per day in August to 6 million bpd, its lowest level in more than three decades. Oil prices were on course to finish the week above US$100 a barrel, while shipping through Hormuz declined further. A possible temporary arrangement to manage traffic through Hormuz was reportedly being discussed by Middle Eastern foreign ministers. Yemeni government forces said they planned a counteroffensive, including the use of weapons and aircraft, to retake positions captured along the Red Sea coast, including Mocha and the Hanish islands. Reuters also reported that Iran’s Revolutionary Guards had guided the Houthi advance and that Tehran promised additional funding, weapons and officers, claims Iran publicly rejects. Separately, Axios reported that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman asked U.S. President Donald Trump to strike the Houthis, but Trump declined for now. Gulf and Iranian officials were expected to meet in Oman to discuss maritime security.

Oil prices were on course to finish the week above $100 a barrel for the first time in nearly four months as escalating conflict in the Middle East raised concerns about crude supply and shipping security. Brent crude briefly reached $109 a barrel and was trading around $105 later on Friday, while West Texas Intermediate fell below its earlier gains to approximately $100.50. Earlier figures cited Brent at $107.90 and WTI at $102.50. The immediate catalyst was the reported seizure of Mokha, a strategically important Yemeni port city near the Bab Al Mandeb Strait, by Houthi rebels. The location is significant because the strait is a major route for oil shipments, including Saudi exports to Asian markets. Analysts warned that expanded Houthi control could further disrupt Red Sea shipping and tighten global oil supplies. Shipping activity has also fallen sharply through the Strait of Hormuz amid continuing US-Iran attacks on oil tankers. Kpler data showed that only seven vessels crossed the strait on Thursday, compared with 18 on Tuesday. Before the conflict began in February, more than 100 vessels reportedly used the route daily, carrying about 20 percent of global crude and liquefied natural gas supplies. Traffic through Bab Al Mandeb also declined to 27 vessels from 32 the previous day. Analysts said the market’s focus has shifted from whether Brent can exceed $100 to whether prices can remain below $120. Brent previously reached $126.41 on April 30, its highest level in four years. Saudi production has also fallen because both its Gulf and Red Sea export routes face constraints, adding further upward pressure to prices.

The supplied excerpt reports that Iran has publicly expressed support for Houthi rebels conducting an aggressive military offensive along Yemen’s Red Sea coast. According to the article’s opening, the Houthis are attempting to take control of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a strategically important maritime passage connected to Saudi Arabia’s oil exports. The development places Iran, the Houthi movement, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and the broader Red Sea region within the same geopolitical and security context. The excerpt frames the Houthi advance as a significant regional development because of the economic and strategic importance of the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Control of the waterway could affect maritime traffic and the movement of energy supplies, particularly Saudi oil exports. Iran’s stated support for the rebels also suggests a widening confrontation involving regional and international rivals, reflected in the headline’s reference to U.S. and Israeli “oppression.” However, the provided material ends after the article’s opening paragraph and does not include further details about Iran’s statement, the military situation, the response of Yemen’s government, Saudi Arabia, the United States, or Israel. It also does not provide casualty figures, territorial changes, diplomatic reactions, or confirmation of whether the Houthis succeeded in capturing the strait. Therefore, this summary is limited to the facts contained in the supplied excerpt rather than the full Washington Post article.

This CBS News live report tracks escalating military, political and economic consequences of the Iran war on September 10, 2026. Sources told CBS News that several U.S. fighter jets at a Jordanian military base were damaged in Iranian strikes. Iran’s state media said the attacks were retaliation for U.S. strikes on Iranian oil tankers. The report also says Yemen’s Houthi movement seized the Red Sea port of Mokha, a development that could improve its ability to threaten shipping near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, an important route for Saudi oil exports. At the United Nations, Yemen’s envoy Hans Grundberg warned that the Houthi takeover marked the end of more than four years of relative calm and could begin a more dangerous phase of the conflict. Yemen and Saudi Arabia called for international action against the Houthis, including stronger enforcement of sanctions and restrictions on weapons supplies. The United States also urged efforts to cut off resources supporting Houthi attacks. The report covers broader regional developments. Israel said it destroyed Hezbollah tunnels and weapons infrastructure on the Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon, while acknowledging that it has not yet transferred control of the area to the Lebanese army. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard claimed it destroyed a U.S. Saildrone in the Strait of Hormuz, following an earlier Iranian seizure of an underwater U.S. drone that Washington said had malfunctioned. The conflict is also affecting the U.S. economy, with the national average diesel price approaching $6 per gallon. In Washington, House Democrats criticized President Trump’s handling of the war, citing the deaths of 18 service members and the financial costs of the conflict. Trump said Iran was trying to influence the midterm elections and predicted that the war would end immediately afterward. The supplied article ends during an incomplete quotation from Rep. Madeleine Dean.