The Iran-backed Houthi insurgency has achieved a dangerous new milestone in their campaign of regional destabilization, seizing Perim Island and the port city of Mokha.
By capturing these strategic positions in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, these militants now exert control over the entire western Red Sea coastline, a critical artery for global commerce and energy transit.
While the Houthis claim that maritime navigation remains safe for everyone except Saudi vessels, their track record of aggression and their status as a proxy for the Iranian regime makes such assurances worthless.
Despite the escalating threat to international shipping and the direct targeting of Saudi oil infrastructure—including recent drone attacks originating from Iraq—the current administration has refused to engage directly, opting instead for a policy of passive intelligence support.
This hesitation comes even as the Houthis continue to launch missiles and drones into Saudi territory, further driving up global oil prices and displacing thousands of civilians.
As the Houthis solidify their hold on Yemen, the failure to confront this Iranian-backed menace head-on only emboldens those who seek to disrupt global stability and threaten American allies.
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