Yemeni forces withdraw from Bab el-Mandeb Strait area
The withdrawal leaves the Houthis in control of a strategic chokepoint for global shipping.
Yemeni forces withdraw from Bab el-Mandeb Strait area — Yemeni forces fighting for the internationally recognized Saudi-backed government announced on Sunday that they were withdrawing from an area overlooking the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait.[^1] The move leaves the Iran-backed Houthis in greater control of the waterway, a critical chokepoint for global oil and trade shipments. The announcement comes as the American aircraft carrier 'Theodore Roosevelt' is expected to arrive in the Middle East in the coming hours, carrying a strike force of over 5,000 military personnel.[^2] The carrier's deployment signals a US effort to project naval power in the region, though it is unclear whether its mission is directly tied to the Bab el-Mandeb situation or broader deterrence against Iran. Hours ago, Dozens of UN ambassadors entered the Gaza Strip for the first time this morning (Sunday) and toured a Hamas tunnel.[^3] The tour began at Kibbutz Kfar Aza, where the ambassadors were shown the destruction from the October 7 attack. Israel's ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, emphasized that as long as Hamas controls the Strip, reconstruction cannot be advanced.[^3] The visit aimed to brief diplomats on the security challenges Israel faces, but it also highlighted the ongoing impasse over Gaza's future. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will travel to Muscat on Tuesday for talks with his Omani counterpart.[^4] Araghchi claimed that the future of diplomatic efforts depends on the US's "political rationality."[^4] The visit comes after Iran last week attacked ship navigation systems on the Omani island of Didamar in the Strait of Hormuz, a move that complicates Oman's role as a mediator. The diplomatic push in Oman, juxtaposed with the naval deployments and the Houthi advance at Bab el-Mandeb, paints a picture of a region where military and diplomatic tracks are running in parallel — and potentially at cross-purposes. Ethiopian Israelis show high patriotism but low trust in state institutions — A new study published ahead of the Sigd holiday reveals a stark tension for Ethiopian Israelis: 71% of Israelis overall are willing to risk their lives for their country, and t