Yemen's war: Houthi gains, fleeing refugees, and faltering allies

Britain announces aerial refueling for Saudi jets as thousands flee across Bab al-Mandab and oil prices hover near $100.

Yemen's war: Houthi gains, fleeing refugees, and faltering allies — Thousands of Yemeni refugees have fled by boat across the Bab al-Mandab Strait to northern Djibouti, escaping intensified fighting. [^1] The Houthi takeover of the island of Perim and the seizure of territory including the port of Mokha have driven civilians from front-line towns like Dhubab, where one fisherman described fleeing "to save their children from the terror of airstrikes." [^1] The human cost of the conflict is mounting as the Houthis tighten their grip on the strategic strait. Britain announced military support for Saudi Arabia in its fight against the Houthi rebels, including aerial refueling for Saudi jets. [^2] Maariv frames the move as a British-led initiative to stabilize the region, emphasizing Prime Minister Burnham's decision-making. [^2] C14, by contrast, frames the crisis as Saudi desperation, highlighting Riyadh's urgent appeals to multiple nations and the Houthis' territorial gains—details that Maariv and Walla omit. [^2] Walla focuses on coalition-building and economic fears over shipping and oil prices, with Brent crude trading around $100 per barrel. [^2] The gap between Riyadh's security needs and the aid it actually receives from its allies may bring it closer to security cooperation with Israel, according to one analysis. [^3] The US, which seeks to reduce tensions with Iran, has not yet committed to assistance beyond intelligence but has announced a plan to provide Saudi Arabia with about 50 F-35 jets. [^3] Meanwhile, the US Treasury Secretary announced a complete paralysis of all Iranian airlines worldwide, effective today. [^4] This move tightens the economic noose on Tehran, which relies heavily on China's purchase of about 90% of its oil exports. [^5] Available oil stockpiles outside the blockade have dropped from 90 million barrels to about 29 million, according to the Wall Street Journal. [^5] Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in New York for the UN General Assembly amid the ongoing war between Iran and the US. [^6] The meeting between Trump and Xi Jinping on September 24 is seen as an opportunity to cut off Iran's financial lifeline. [^5] Th