Bab al-Mandab... when the state regains the gateway to the world

In the past few hours, Yemeni government forces announced control of the Bab al-Mandab area and Dhubab Airport, west of Taiz Governorate, as part of Operation “Yemen Dawn” launched by the head of the Presidential Command Council, Rashad al-Alimi, with the support of the coalition led by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The spokesman for the Yemeni forces, Colonel Majid Al-Nuzaili, said that the Giants and Homeland Shield brigades carried out a bypass operation that cut off the road between Dhubab and Al-Mukha, a development that goes beyond its military dimension to have political and economic implications that affect the entire world. Bab al-Mandab is not an ordinary strip of water. Rather, it is the southern gateway to the Red Sea and the link between the Indian Ocean and the Suez Canal, through which energy and goods shipments heading between Asia, Europe and Africa pass. When this corridor is threatened, the price is not paid by the Yemenis alone, but also by consumers in Europe, manufacturers in Asia, and emerging economies in Africa, as proven by the past years, which witnessed disruption of navigation, high insurance costs, and ships being diverted to longer and more expensive routes around the Cape of Good Hope. Hence, the return of this vital site to the legitimate authority of the state represents a step towards restoring respect to an established principle in international law, which is that international sea lanes belong to the world and are not subject to the blackmail of any armed group or the logic of weapons outside the framework of the state. The Kingdom, by virtue of its location overlooking the Red Sea and its responsibility towards global energy security, has remained at the forefront of countries affirming that freedom of navigation is an international obligation that does not accept bargaining, imposition of fees, or threats, and that securing waterways is a joint responsibility shared by the countries that benefit from it. The Yemeni government is based inIts battle to internationally recognized legitimacy, and to the relevant Security Council resolutions, most notably Resolution 2216, while the Houthi militias have a long record of actions that threatened the security of Yemen and the region, and have never sought prosperity in the areas they rule, but rather have made their citizens fuel for calculations that do not serve their interests. As for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, it has proven that it deals with events with political realism that reads every stage with its data. It adopts an approach of strength and firmness when war imposes itself, and adheres to wisdom and the primacy of reason and dialogue when the room for peace expands. Its record in this regard is clear. Over the years, it has supported calming initiatives, political paths, and humanitarian truces, and it still affirms that the permanent solution in Yemen will only be political. However, serious dialogue requires a party that realizes that the time for imposing a fait accompli by force has ended. Therefore, what was achieved in Bab al-Mandab strengthens the position of the legitimate government at the negotiating table, restricts those who bet on exhausting regional and international patience, and sends a reassuring message to shipping companies and major capitals that navigation security is an issue that can be protected when the will is united. This makes international support for these efforts a direct interest for every country that depends on secure supply chains. This does not mean that the path to peace is complete, as the challenges are still great, but the bet on the support of our brothers and the international community to consolidate these gains and transform them into sustainable stability remains a realistic and legitimate bet. It is the responsibility of the legitimate government, in return, to unite the ranks of the forces under its banner and manage the regained areas efficiently and fairly, so that the population can feel the benefits.Restoration in their daily lives. The priority now remains to protect civilians, secure humanitarian aid, and create conditions for state institutions to return to serving citizens. True victory is not in controlling a geographical location, no matter how important, but rather in the Yemeni feeling that his state has returned to him, and for the world to feel that its Red Sea is back safe, and that the entire region is moving towards security and stability instead of escalation.