EXPLAINER: Why the Bab el-Mandeb Strait mattersThe Bab el-Mandeb Strait is one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints. Located between Yemen and the Horn of Africa, it is the southern gateway to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. Much of the trade moving between Asia and Europe passes through this route. Ships traveling from East Asia can cross the Indian Ocean, enter the Red Sea through Bab el-Mandeb, pass through the Suez Canal and continue into the Mediterranean toward Europe. If that route becomes too dangerous, ships are forced to sail around Africa. That alternative can add roughly 3,000 kilometers and about two weeks to a voyage, increasing fuel costs, insurance costs and delivery times. The strait is also important for global energy markets. Oil tankers and other energy shipments use the Red Sea route, meaning instability around Bab el-Mandeb can quickly affect shipping and energy prices far beyond the Middle East.

YEMEN MAP: Who is against who? In the last few weeks, reports coming out of #Yemen have caused further confusion to what is happening on the ground. We will try to fix that. A relatively up-to-date map that helps understand the current division of control in Yemen: Light green - Legitimate Yemeni government forces (Saudi-supported) - about a month ago they held all the territory to the east - the governorates of Hadhramaut and Al Mahrah. Blue - Southern Transitional Council forces (supported by the United Arab Emirates). Turquoise green - Al-Houthi's Nahdah forces (allied with the Southern Transitional Council). Brown - The Houthis. In addition, the map shows another area in the news now, Somaliland, and the strategic port of Berbera, and the ever important gateway to the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandev strait.

Mapping potential military targets in Venezuela Yesterday, the U.S. announced Operation 'Southern Spear' to "remove narco-terrorists from our hemisphere." With the Ford carrier strike group now on station in SOUTHCOM, the U.S. could launch land strikes at any time. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth compares the upcoming "Operation Southern Spear" against Venezuela to America's past bombings of Iranian nuclear facilities and America's past month-long bombing campaign against Yemen's Ansarallah.

The #UAE now maintains the largest and most diverse military presence along the Gulf of #Aden, Bab al-Mandab, and the southern Red Sea, giving it significant control over this vital maritime corridor and the ability to project influence and military powr across #Yemen & East Africa.

The Red Sea is on Fire - about Houthi strikes on shipping in the Red Sea The Houthis have once again intensified their strikes on shipping in the Red Sea. Over the past few days, two vessels - Magic Seas and Eternity C, both flying the Liberian flag and belonging to Greek companies, have been attacked. The first bulk carrier sank after a massive attack by drones and small arms, the crew was evacuated. The second vessel was attacked on Monday - two crew members were injured, and two more are missing. 🖍 The latest Houthi attack on the Eternity C vessel demonstrates an unconventional approach for them - a prolonged battle using small arms and RPGs from small boats. This is significantly different from their previous tactics of quick strikes using drones and missiles. 🚩 The change in tactics indicates more confident behavior of the Houthis in the area previously controlled by the US aviation. Moreover, if the attack was successful, such raids may become systemic and much more frequent. 📌 The choice of a target with a Liberian flag and a Greek operator may indicate a change in priorities: strikes not only on Israeli interests, but also on members of the Western coalition supporting actions in Gaza and Yemen. The Houthis' retaliatory actions will most likely become tougher and more large-scale in a near future.

President Trump announced a new travel ban targeting citizens from several countries, citing security concerns and the need to "protect the United States from terrorists." 📌 Syria has been excluded from the list. ⛔️ Full travel ban countries: 📌 Afghanistan 📌 Burma 📌 Chad 📌 Republic of the Congo 📌 Equatorial Guinea 📌 Eritrea 📌 Haiti 📌 Iran 📌 Libya 📌 Somalia 📌 Sudan 📌 Yemen ❗️Partial travel restrictions apply to: 📌 Burundi 📌 Cuba 📌 Laos 📌 Sierra Leone 📌 Togo 📌 Turkmenistan 📌 Venezuela

Houthis threaten to resume attacks on Israeli ships over Gaza supplies Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi terrorists have threatened to once more attack Israeli shipping unless aid supplies to Gaza are allowed to resume, its leader said on Friday. “If the Israeli enemy continues after the first four days to prevent the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip … then we will resume our naval operations against the Israeli enemy,” Abdul-Malik al-Houthi warned in a televised address on Friday. This would mean that #Houthi attacks would restart on Tuesday. The Houthis previously carried out drone and missile strikes on shipping in the Red Sea during the Gaza war in support of the Hamas terrorist group, halting its attacks following the ceasefire that began on Jan. 19. Al-Houthi on Feb. 28 threatened to restart missile attacks on Israeli territory, warning that Tel Aviv would be in the crosshairs again if Jerusalem resumes combat against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. “If war returns to Gaza, we will rain fire upon all areas of the enemy regime [Israel], especially Tel Aviv, which is known as occupied Jaffa,” he said in a statement marking the start of Ramadan. The Israeli government announced on March 2 that it had suspended all humanitarian aid to Gaza after Hamas rejected the ceasefire extension proposed by U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. The U.S. State Department re-designated the Houthis in Yemen as a foreign terrorist organization on March 4. The move came a little more than a month after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order calling on the department to issue the reclassification.

Houthis declare missile strike against Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv Yemen’s #Houthis from the rebel Ansar Allah movement delivered a "hypersonic ballistic #missile" strike against the Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, said Yahya Saree, the organization’s military spokesperson. "The rocket troops of the Yemeni armed forces staged a military operation, attacking the Ben Gurion Airport in the occupied district of Jaffa (Tel Aviv)]," the spokesman said, streamed by Al Masirah television. The movement also attacked a power plant located in the vicinity of Jerusalem, Saree added.

Israeli Air Force fighter jets taking off to strike #Houthi military targets in #Yemen. Well done! The more the better. Israel is making the Middle East a better place!

Houthis say they attacked Tel Aviv, Ashkelon The #Houthis from Yemen's rebel Ansar Allah movement have delivered strike on Tel Aviv’s #Jaffa neighborhood and on the city of #Ashkelon, the movement’s military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said. "The air forces conducted a military operation and delivered strikes on a number of military and vital facilities of the Israeli enemy in Jaffa and Ashkelon in the south of occupied Palestine," he said in a statement posted on his Telegram channel. According to Sarea, the Houthi drones "successfully hit their targets" in Israel.