G7 Demands Iran End Support for Houthis as 120,000 Yemenis Are Displaced
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Sep 22
G7 Demands Iran End Support for Houthis as 120,000 Yemenis Are Displaced
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Sep 22
Summary
G7 foreign ministers said Iran must stop arming and backing Yemen's Houthis, condemning attacks on Saudi Arabia and threats to civilian shipping in a joint statement issued at the UN General Assembly.
The warning followed a sharp Houthi advance along Yemen's Red Sea coast, including near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a chokepoint the G7 said puts regional and global energy security at risk.
More than 120,000 Yemenis have been displaced by the fighting, while thousands have fled across the Red Sea in recent days after the Houthis seized new territory.
At least six people were reported killed in Saudi strikes on Mokha, as Saudi retaliation has expanded to hundreds of air strikes and the Houthis have launched hundreds of drones and missiles at Saudi targets.
The statement raises pressure on Tehran ahead of Iranian officials' UN appearances, even as Iran denies supplying weapons and says its support for the Houthis is only political.
Will the G7's latest demands actually curb Houthi attacks, or just push global shipping costs even higher?
With naval patrols struggling, who can truly secure the Red Sea from escalating Houthi missile strikes?
Could the battle for the Bab al-Mandab Strait permanently reshape global trade routes and energy supply chains?
Red Sea on the Brink: The September 2026 Houthi Offensive, Iran’s Role, and the G7’s Response
Overview
In September 2026, Houthi militants launched a rapid offensive along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, seizing Mokha and Perim Island and gaining control of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait—a vital global trade route. This allowed the Houthis to declare a blockade on Saudi-linked shipping, triggering a stern G7 ultimatum demanding Iran end its support for the group. The offensive displaced over 146,000 people, with thousands fleeing by boat to Djibouti. Meanwhile, Houthi attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure caused global oil prices to spike. The crisis deepened as the Southern Transitional Council consolidated control over Yemen’s oil-rich Hadhramaut, further complicating peace efforts.