How Houthi Rebels Captured Bab el-Mandeb and Sparked a New Yemeni Conflict
The New York Times exposes the strategic failures and chaotic collapse that allowed Houthi rebels to seize the vital Bab el-Mandeb strait, triggering renewed war.
As Saudi Arabia attempts to retake territories captured in recent weeks by Houthi rebels, The New York Times reconstructs the failures that led to Riyadh's strategic defeats, which affect the entire world.
In the weeks leading up to the rapid deployment of the Houthi militia along Yemen's Red Sea coast, a senior commander in the Yemeni government army cried out for help and demanded urgent assistance. For the commander, General Tariq Saleh, the writing was on the wall, and it was entirely clear to him that the Houthis were plotting to seize the territory under his command in order to reach the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, one of the most strategic and vital waterways in the entire world.
According to the New York Times report, Saleh tried to warn his influential allies in Saudi Arabia and the United States ahead of time. About ten percent of global trade passes through the Bab el-Mandeb strait, and in the midst of the military campaign led by the United States and Israel against Iran, both countries had a distinct and paramount interest in preventing a militia with deep ties to Iran from gaining such a critical foothold near it. Nevertheless, when the Houthis did precisely that last month and caused their enemies to initiate a panicked retreat, it became clear that no one was able, or simply willing, to stop them.
The Collapse at Bab el-Mandeb
The resounding militia victory over the Bab el-Mandeb strait, which took place during a single night of chaos, confusion, and utter panic, triggered a dramatic chain of events that plunged Yemen back into a renewed war with global ramifications. Just this week, Saudi Arabia launched a renewed bombing campaign to help the Yemeni government reclaim the lost territory, aided by intelligence and targeting guidance from the United States military.
"Retreat, the Houthis are already here!" shouted fighters fleeing for their lives as communication lines collapsed across the front lines.
Despite the government's recent advances, it remains uncertain whether these gains will hold or where the forces will halt in the event of further success. Although the Saudi government has pledged to help the Yemenis eliminate the Houthis, the last time Riyadh undertook this objective nearly a decade ago, the campaign quickly devolved into a bloody quagmire.
International Implications and Regional Instability
The New York Times investigation reveals how a militia once considered disorganized transformed into a formidable force equipped with advanced technology. This is a resounding defeat for the Yemeni government and its Saudi patrons, illustrating the deep divisions plaguing the Yemeni military.
While the defeat caught many by surprise, it was entirely predictable. For months, U.S. intelligence and military officials warned the Saudis about the mounting threat and urged them to unify the fractured factions of the Yemeni government. General Saleh himself appealed to his counterparts for air support from Saudi Arabia and electronic warfare and communication jamming from the United States, but his requests were met with a cold shoulder.
