The Houthis have taken control of the strategic islands of Greater and Lesser Hanish, located approximately 160 kilometers north of the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. Both Houthi representatives and those of the internationally recognized Yemeni government reported the transfer of the islands to the movement's control. The capture of the islands is a continuation of the rapid advance of the Houthis along the Red Sea coast. Previously, they occupied the port of Mocha and other positions in the Bab-el-Mandeb area — one of the key maritime corridors between Asia and Europe. The new positions allow the Houthis to strengthen their control over shipping in the southern part of the Red Sea. The situation becomes particularly serious for Saudi Arabia, which, after a sharp reduction in traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, redirected part of its oil exports through the Red Sea. At the same time, the Saudi East–West oil pipeline, which allows oil to be transported from the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea bypassing the Strait of Hormuz, has been severely damaged. According to AP, its repair may take **three to five weeks**, although some capacity may be restored sooner. The maximum throughput of the pipeline is about **7 million barrels per day**. Thus, pressure is simultaneously increasing on two of the most important oil supply routes — the **Strait of Hormuz and the route through the Red Sea and Bab-el-Mandeb**. Le Monde notes that what is happening is already creating additional risks for global trade, shipping costs, and energy prices.
