Houthis seize Yemeni island in Bab el-Mandeb, taking control of the strait
Houthi fighters reached Perim Island which divides the Bab el-Mandeb into two shipping lanes after government forces withdrew, completing the group's takeover of the strait. Together with Iran's Hormuz blockade, this puts roughly a third of the world's seaborne trade under hostile control.
Iran-backed Houthi rebels seized the strategic Bab el-Mandeb strait and Mayyun Island on Friday, controlling the narrowest part of the Red Sea waterway, according to local officials and eyewitnesses. The Houthi takeover of the strategic island, also known as Perim, occurred after government forces withdrew from the area. Eyewitnesses reported Houthi forces deploying along the shore and using military vehicles.
The group also captured the towns of Dhubab and Murad, signaling their control over Yemen's entire Red Sea coast. Earlier in the week, the Houthis captured the strategic port city of Mokha and the island of Zuqar in a swift offensive. The Houthis, who held one-third of Yemen's territory prior to the assault, have targeted shipping in the crucial waterway for years.
The strait, which links Asia to Europe, accounts for over a quarter of global crude oil trade and nearly a third of container traffic. The Houthis' takeover of the Bab el-Mandeb area and Mayyun Island would likely cause further disruptions to global energy markets. Iran's foreign ministry called for an end to Saudi Arabia's blockade of Yemen and the resumption of talks, in its first public statement since the Red Sea offensive.
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