The record
Written from the 1 report below. Nothing here is unsourced.
- Satellite images from Sentinel-2 show Yemen's Houthi forces dug roughly 20 kilometers of trenches near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, with the work visible between September 8 and 16.
- The trenches and earthen fortifications were built on high ground near Dhubab and Perim island, close to the strait's narrowest point.
- Bab el-Mandeb is one of the world's most important shipping lanes, carrying about 10 percent of global maritime trade and large volumes of oil between Europe, Asia and Africa.
- The fortifications appear aimed at defending recently captured Red Sea coastal areas against Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces and at monitoring ship movements through the strait.
- The build-up matters because it could heighten shipping risks, raise insurance and oil costs, and further entangle Yemen's war with global trade security.
What to watch next
- Future satellite imagery and ground reports showing whether the fortifications expand or prove effective
- Any counter-operation by Saudi-backed forces to retake Red Sea coastal areas held by the Houthis
- Shipping traffic, insurance costs and oil prices on the Bab el-Mandeb route in coming weeks
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Named Yemen · Bab-el-Mandeb Strait · Dhubab · Perim Island · Houthis
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