The Houthis of Yemen bring Riyadh to its knees, traumatize Trump, and mortgage Suez

Even as Americans commemorate the pain of the September 11 attacks, at the same time, the Houthis of Yemen, under coordination along the “axis of resistance,” are taking absolute control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the entire Yemeni coast of the Red Sea.

For the first time in its history, a non-state actor exercises continuous control over the entire Yemeni Red Sea coastline, extending to the 28-kilometer strait through which 12 to 15% of global trade once passed. In naval doctrine, this would be called a “total access denial” capability at a critical global chokepoint. In plain language: the Houthis no longer need to strike a ship to force it to abandon its voyage. Their mere presence is enough to dictate the risk.

The reality of maritime control

Bab el-Mandeb has changed hands. The geopolitics of the Strait have collapsed under the blows of Ansar Allah. The Houthis are no longer content with disrupting commercial shipping; they now impose undisputed sovereignty over the entire Yemeni Red Sea coastline. This geostrategic reality brutally slaps Riyadh’s certainties and Western illusions of security. The Saudi empire/kingdom, armed with tens of billions of dollars’ worth of American technology, finds itself paralyzed by a disciplined militia wielding ruthless asymmetric warfare. The illusion of Saudi air superiority has been shattered on the reefs of Al-Hudaydah. Washington contemplates its military impotence. Europe watches in stunned silence as its maritime supply chains crumble.

Economic asphyxiation and the failure of the oil pipeline

The figures don’t lie. Commercial traffic through the Suez Canal has collapsed by more than 75% in just a few months. The vital artery of global trade is now a ghost waterway. To bypass Bab el-Mandeb, ships now sail around Africa via the Cape of Good Hope. This adds ten to fifteen days to the crossing, skyrockets freight costs, and multiplies the carbon footprint of Western fleets. The Suez Canal is virtually dead, rendered logistically obsolete by drone strikes and cheap anti-ship ballistic........

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