Houthi forces seize Red Sea island in key shipping lane
Yemen's Houthis took over a Red Sea island in the middle of the Bab al-Mandeb shipping lane, completing their push to control the area, a local government official and eyewitnesses said.
Yemeni Houthi forces have seized the strategic Red Sea island of Mayyun, located in the Bab al-Mandeb shipping lane, according to local government officials and eyewitness accounts. The takeover marks their final push to control the region, as government troops withdrew from the island yesterday. The Houthi takeover of the Bab al-Mandeb area, including Mayyun Island, is complete, said an unnamed official.
Eyewitnesses reported that Houthi gunmen are deploying along the coast and moving around in military vehicles. The waterway's importance has grown as a key shipping route since the onset of the broader Middle East conflict, with Iran previously blocking the Strait of Hormuz. The Houthi forces possess four strategic islands: Zuqar, seized yesterday, Mayyun, and the Hanish islands.
Saudi government sources indicate that Houthi forces have besieged troops on the Hanish islands, with the besieged forces appealing for rescue, food, water, and an end to the siege, requiring air support. Meanwhile, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has called on US President Donald Trump to launch strikes against the Houthis, but Trump has rejected the request, stating that the US does not plan to engage directly with the Houthi forces at this time.
US officials have indicated that the administration is increasingly concerned about the escalating conflict in Yemen and is providing support to Saudi Arabia without direct military involvement.
Written by urgent.news from RTE News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
