The Houthis are close to controlling the locality of Dhubab, which, combined with their already assumed control of the coastal city of Mocha, will allow them to dominate the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, one of the world's most important maritime routes. This strategic region is at the access to the Red Sea, through which a significant portion of international trade passes.
The Houthi movement, supported by Iran, has been expanding its influence on the Yemeni coast of the Red Sea, consolidating positions that give it power over this crucial waterway. The capture of Dhubab would be an important step in this territorial expansion.
Separately, Pakistan has rejected for now the activation of the Mecca agreement, whose contents are not specified in the article. This decision comes in a context of regional tensions involving developments in Yemen and Iranian influence in the area.
