PNN – In its latest report, the UK Parliament’s research service—citing the advances made by Yemen’s Ansarullah along the Red Sea coast and the movement’s expanding control over the Bab al-Mandab Strait—stated that the coincidence of this development with the situation in the Strait of Hormuz has strengthened Iran’s leverage in negotiations with the United States.
According to the report of Pakistan News Network; the UK House of Commons Library, in a report published today, examined recent developments in Yemen through the lens of shifting power dynamics in the Red Sea, dedicating part of its analysis to the link between Ansarullah’s position at Bab al-Mandab and the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.
The report’s summary states that Ansarullah has managed to seize control of several new areas along the Red Sea coast, and the movement now holds one side of the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Noting that approximately seven percent of the world’s oil passes through this waterway, the report adds that current developments have strengthened Iran’s leverage against the United States.
The detailed section of the report explains that Ansarullah forces have seized control of the strategic port of Al-Mukha on the Red Sea coast, while forces loyal to Yemen’s resigned government have withdrawn from the island of Mayun in the Bab al-Mandab Strait. According to the report, the narrowest part of the strait is approximately 18 miles wide, and ships intending to enter the Red Sea and proceed toward the Suez Canal must pass through this route.
This development is significant because, amidst the situation surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea route has recently emerged as an alternative pathway for energy transport. A report by the UK Parliament’s research service indicates that approximately 70 percent of Saudi Arabia’s oil exports have shifted to the Red Sea route, and seven percent of global oil trade passes through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
The Link Between Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab
A central part of the report focuses on the interconnection between developments at the region’s two strategic waterways: the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Citing the Middle East Institute, the House of Commons Library notes that Ansar Allah’s control over Bab al-Mandab, combined with developments at the Strait of Hormuz, has generated greater leverage for both sides in their respective negotiations.
According to this assessment, the increase in Ansar Allah’s leverage is linked to its negotiations with Saudi Arabia, while the boost in Iran’s leverage is tied to Tehran’s talks with Washington. The report also cites an assessment by the International Crisis Group, which holds that reaching a lasting agreement on Yemen will be difficult without a de-escalation of tensions between Iran and the United States.
This section of the report effectively elevates the significance of developments in Yemen beyond the country’s own borders, positioning the Bab al-Mandab Strait—alongside the Strait of Hormuz—as a pivotal factor in regional dynamics and political negotiations.
Elsewhere, the report notes that some analysts view the current status of the Bab al-Mandab Strait as critical to global energy markets and maritime shipping, regarding Ansarallah’s control over one side of the strait as a significant influence on the security of maritime routes and the regional balance of power.
Overall, a report by the UK Parliament’s research service indicates that developments on the ground along the Red Sea coast are linked to broader regional dynamics. According to the report’s assessment, Ansarullah’s position at the Bab al-Mandab Strait—combined with the situation at the Strait of Hormuz—has heightened the strategic importance of both waterways in regional calculations and bolstered Iran’s bargaining power in negotiations with the United States.