The advance of the Iran-aligned Houthi rebel group in Yemen has driven more than 130,000 people from their homes since the beginning of September, deepening the humanitarian crisis in an already poor country with a long history of domestic conflict.

The Houthis have swept down Yemen’s western coast, seizing the strategic port city of Mocha as well as the town of Dhubab and several islands in the Red Sea. A key aim is to control the Bab al-Mandab Strait, one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints.

This narrow passageway is bounded by Djibouti to the west and Yemen to the east, and is a primary shipping route connecting Asia with Europe. Around 15% of global seaborne trade passes through Bab al-Mandab annually, worth more than US$1 trillion (£756 billion).

This includes a substantial amount of oil. Saudi Arabia, which supports government forces in Yemen, has grown particularly reliant on exports via the Red Sea since Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz in February following the start of its war with the US and Israel.

The Strait of Hormuz is another maritime chokepoint, so its closure has led to higher global fertiliser and food prices. Global energy costs have also surged, with oil prices rising from around US$70 per barrel in February to roughly US$90 per barrel by the end of August. The escalating hostilities in Yemen pose........

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