DUBAI—Iran-backed Houthi militants seized a strategic island in the Bab al-Mandeb strait and a town along its mainland coast Friday, taking effective control of one of the world’s most important shipping chokepoints after a rapid offensive.
The gains raised the stakes in the broader conflict sparked by the U.S. and Israel war with Iran. They came despite long-running Saudi military support for forces opposing the Houthis and, people familiar with the matter said, U.S. technical support and intelligence in the fighting.
