Iran-backed Houthis seize key island, opening new front in Iran war

Yemen's Houthi rebels, supported by Iran, seized control of a strategic island at the southern entrance to the Red Sea on Friday, according to two officials. This marks the Houthi rebels' biggest territorial gains in years along the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The island, known as Mayun or Perim, could potentially boost Iran's strategy of driving up global oil and gas prices to put pressure on the United States.

Saudi Arabia responded by attacking the airport in the nearby port city of Mokha, the island the Houthis had seized the previous day, according to a Houthi broadcaster. However, there were no reports of damage or casualties from the Saudi strike. Both a senior military official with Yemen's internationally recognized government and a Houthi official confirmed the capture of Mayun, a tiny, barren volcanic island inside the strait, on condition of anonymity due to their lack of authorization to speak with journalists.

The Red Sea has become increasingly important for Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, as an alternative route for transporting crude to global markets, aside from the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has a significant presence.