Africa is beginning to bear the brunt of the escalation in the Yemen conflict, after Houthi forces captured key positions on the Red Sea coast. This brings the Iran-aligned rebels within sight of the Horn of Africa and raises fresh fears over shipping, migration and regional security.
The Houthi capture of the port city of Mocha and the strategic island of Mayyun, also known as Perim, at the weekend, strengthened their grip on Yemen’s Red Sea coastline and potentially the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The escalation is already creating a humanitarian spillover into Africa, with more than 2,000 people fleeing into Djibouti and placing fresh pressure on the small Horn of Africa nation.
