Houthi advance boosts Iran’s leverage over the US and Saudi Arabia – but may cost rebel group its legitimacy back in Yemen

Yemen's Houthi armed forces patrol the capital Sanaa on Sept. 12, 2026. Mohammed Huwaish/AFP via Getty Images It took just a few days for Houthi forces to seize most of Yemen’s Red Sea coast, including the shores of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial Red Sea maritime choke point. The offensive started on Sept. 3, 2026, with a push to...