Red Sea Shock to Trade: Yemen’s Houthis have seized key positions around Bab el-Mandeb, including Perim/Mayyun Island and the coastal town of Dhubab after taking Mocha, tightening their grip on the chokepoint that links Red Sea shipping to Djibouti and Eritrea—raising risks for global oil flows and already pushing war-risk costs higher. Saudi Energy Disruption: Saudi Arabia shut its East-West oil pipeline after drone attacks launched from Iraq, cutting a major route to Yanbu on the Red Sea and adding pressure to Gulf energy exports as Hormuz remains constrained. Djibouti Humanitarian Spillover: Djibouti’s Obock received nearly 500 Yemeni refugees rescued at sea, as displacement from Yemen tops 46,000 since fighting escalated. Djibouti-Ethiopia Trade Pressure: With Bab el-Mandeb risk climbing, analysts note Ethiopia’s corridor via Djibouti faces higher premiums and slower schedules even without a full strait closure. Regional Diplomacy Over Sea Access: Israel publicly backed Ethiopia’s Red Sea access push, while Egypt warned that coastal states control military maritime access—fueling new tensions involving Ethiopia, Djibouti, and the wider Red Sea. GERD Power Update: Ethiopia’s GERD generated about 17% more electricity than initial estimates in its first year, but the consortium urges faster grid investment to deliver power to households and industry. UAE Port “Imperialism” Claim: Eritrea’s foreign minister accused the UAE of expanding port control across Africa, pointing to stakes involving Somaliland and Djibouti’s past concession cancellation. Aviation & Logistics: SolitAir launched new freight services to Ghana (via Accra), expanding its African cargo network.