IRAN, THE BAB AL-MANDEB AND THE MAKING OF A NEW MIDDLE EASTERN SUPERPOWER?
Could Tehran’s growing influence over two of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints fundamentally change the balance of power in the Middle East? There are moments in international politics when a military development in one country suddenly becomes a problem for the entire world. The latest Houthi advance in Yemen may be one of those moments. The reported capture of key positions around the Bab al-Mandeb Strait , including Perim Island, has dramatically changed the strategic picture in the Red Sea. The Houthis have also captured Mokha and consolidated their position along Yemen's Red Sea coast. Because the Houthis are closely aligned with Iran, this development has immediately raised a much larger question: Is Iran gradually moving from being merely a powerful regional actor to becoming the dominant strategic power of the Middle East? The answer is not yet a simple "yes." But something much more important may be happening. Iran is accumulating...