Will Houthi advances in Yemen give Iran leverage in its war with the US?

The Iranian ally seizes Yemen’s Red Sea coast, cementing their hold on the Bab al-Mandeb strait.

The advance of the Houthis along Yemen’s Red Sea coast has raised fears of a second front in the war between the United States and Iran.

And it has put Saudi Arabia – the main ally of Yemen’s internationally recognised government – in a difficult spot.

The Houthis now control the area around the Bab al-Mandeb strait, which is crucial for Saudi oil exports.

The prospect of another supply disruption, on the back of the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, has pushed oil prices above the $100 mark.

So what are the implications of these developments in Yemen for the US-Iran conflict?

And does the advance of the Houthis put Tehran in a stronger negotiating position?

Ahmed Al-Ashwal – Military and security researcher, and a former pilot officer with Yemen’s armed forces