New Airstrip on Yemeni Island Signals Escalating Proxy War and Threats to U.S. Interests

The recent discovery of a nearly 2,000-meter airstrip on Zuqar Island in the Red Sea—revealed through satellite imagery—marks a significant escalation in the ongoing struggle against the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. This development is not just a local matter; it is a direct challenge to American strategic interests and regional stability that Washington can no longer afford to overlook. Who Benefits from This New Military Outpost? Zuqar Island, positioned near the crucial Bab el-Mandeb Strait, commands one of the world’s most strategic maritime chokepoints. The ability to conduct aerial surveillance across the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden from...