German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is sounding the alarm over the Houthis' rapid takeover of key positions around the Bab al-Mandab strait, warning that the group's grip on the waterway is directly hurting Germany's energy security. Merz pointed to Houthi attacks on Saudi energy facilities as a major driver behind worsening conditions in global energy markets, effects he says are now being felt at home. His comments come after Houthi forces seized the port city of Mocha along with Perim and the Hanish Islands, tightening their control over one of the world's busiest shipping corridors. Merz argued that the international community cannot stand by while the Houthis effectively hold Red Sea shipping hostage.

The warning lands as multiple pressure points converge on global energy markets at once, with Iran's ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and outages on Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline compounding the disruption from the Red Sea. Brent crude has pushed past 107 dollars a barrel as traders price in the growing risk to oil shipments moving through the region. In Germany, the strain has already reached the pump, with diesel and fuel prices climbing sharply in recent days as reported by local outlets. With winter approaching and energy demand set to rise, Merz's remarks reflect growing anxiety in Berlin that a conflict thousands of miles away could translate into a very real economic squeeze at home.