Over 120 Killed as Houthi Rebels and Government Forces Battle for Bab el-Mandeb Strait

Gist Iran-backed Houthi rebels have launched a massive military offensive against Saudi-backed government forces to seize control of the strategic Bab el-Mandeb strait at the southern entrance of the Red Sea . The assault, which has killed over 120 people, aims to isolate the government-held port of Mokha and capture elevated coastal positions to target international shipping. For UPSC aspirants, this development is crucial as it threatens one of the world's busiest maritime trade routes, disrupting global supply chains and further destabilising the geopolitics of West Asia. Background Yemen has been embroiled in a civil conflict for over a decade, primarily fought between the Saudi-backed government and the Iran-backed Houthi rebels . A fragile truce established in 2022 collapsed in July when the Houthis formally entered the broader West Asian conflict in response to the 2023 Gaza war . The Bab el-Mandeb strait is a critical global chokepoint connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea , serving as a vital artery for international oil and commercial shipments. Following Iran's blockade of the Strait of…