Iranian arms and advice helped Yemen's Houthis seize key Red Sea city, sources say

Saudi-backed Yemeni forces await confrontation with the Houthis in Al-Kadha area, west of Taiz province. The Houthis seized the Red Sea island of Mayyun, also known as Perim, in the Bab al-Mandab shipping lane on Friday, according to a local government official and eyewitnesses. The island, located in the middle of the strait, completes the Houthis' control of the Bab al-Mandab area.

Eyewitnesses reported that armed Houthi fighters have deployed along the Bab al-Mandab shore and are moving around in military vehicles. Since last week, thousands of people have died in the Iran-backed Houthis' offensive against Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces around Bab al-Mandab. The waterway's importance as a transit route has increased due to the ongoing Middle East conflict, which led Iran to blockade the Strait of Hormuz.

A local government official stated that the number of fighters on Mayyun is limited and that the Houthis may deploy on nearby hills overlooking Bab al-Mandab. Government military sources confirmed that the Houthis have encircled Yemeni troops on the Hanish islands, with over 2,000 forces, but are unsure of their current status. The besieged forces have requested rescue, food, water, and the lifting of the siege, which would necessitate air support.