Yemeni forces withdraw from Bab el-Mandeb as Houthis cement foothold

Saudi backed Yemeni forces said on Sunday they were withdrawing from an area overlooking the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, leaving Iran-aligned Houthi rebels in control of the territory.The southern Yemeni forces said they were redeploying towards Aden, where the internationally recognised government is based, Reuters reported."The Southern Armed Forces announce the implementation of a redeployment operation for its forces from Dhubab Airport and the Bab el-Mandeb area, west of Taiz Governorate," the southern forces said in a statement."This step is taken based on the priority of securing the capital, Aden, and the neighbouring governorates, as well as strengthening the front lines and addressing existing threats."The move comes as the Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa and the country's most populous areas, step up pressure on southern territories still held by government forces.The withdrawal could give the Houthis greater leverage over one of the world's most important maritime chokepoints, potentially increasing pressure on global shipping at a time when Iran continues to disrupt traffic through the Strait of Hormuz on the other side of the Arabian Peninsula.Simultaneous pressure on the two waterways could further restrict Gulf oil producers' access to their main shipping routes, Reuters reported.The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is a major route for global shipments of commodities and other goods, particularly cargo travelling from Asia…