US CENTCOM Chief Flies to Saudi Arabia, Yemen's Houthis Seize Bab al-Mandeb

US Navy Admiral Brad Cooper flew to Saudi Arabia overnight Thursday to coordinate a potential military response following a lightning Houthi offensive along Yemen's western coast. The rapid advance shattered Riyadh-backed government forces and handed the Iran-armed rebels control of key Red Sea corridors.

The Houthis captured the port city of Mocha, Dhubab, and Perim Island, effectively positioning the group to block the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. This vital waterway handles massive amounts of oil and gas shipments, serving as an alternative trade artery while the Strait of Hormuz remains heavily disrupted.

"The United States is focused on protecting our core national security interests — such as ensuring freedom of navigation in the Red Sea — while empowering our regional partners," stated a senior administration official on Friday.

Intelligence and operational coordination between Washington and Riyadh has intensified via at least 160 US military personnel stationed in the kingdom. Analysts note that satellite imagery has also revealed apparent damage along points of Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline following suspected militant activity.

The regional escalation directly tests American willingness to reauthorize direct military intervention in Yemen amid escalating proxy actions by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.