Yemen’s Houthis have seized Perim Island at the mouth of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, tightening their hold on one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes. They also captured the strategic port city of Mokha from Saudi-backed pro-government forces, according to military sources.
The Iran-backed group now controls the entire coastline, a Yemeni military official told AFP. The move comes as the Houthis consolidate their grip on the Red Sea shipping route, which has grown increasingly important since the Strait of Hormuz effectively shut down in the US-Iran conflict.
Perim Island falls
Perim Island sits at the narrowest point of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a chokepoint through which millions of barrels of oil pass daily. The island controls the entrance to the waterway.
Yemeni pro-government forces withdrew from Perim on Friday, witnesses and news agencies reported. Houthi forces then moved onto the island.
The Houthis issued a statement calling their operation a “success” and saying “maritime navigation is safe for all companies except for Saudi vessels.” The statement did not mention Perim by name.
Mokha falls too
The capture of Mokha follows a string of Houthi advances in Yemen’s south-west. The Houthis say they expelled “Saudi enemy” forces from six districts in the Taiz and Hodeidah regions, killing, wounding or capturing hundreds of troops, according to spokesman Yahya Sarea.
Sarea said the “large-scale” operation began on 3 September in response to Saudi Arabia’s “blatant aggression” against “our dear people.”
Trump refuses Saudi demands
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has pressed US President Donald Trump to take military action against the Houthis, CBS News reports. Two sources familiar with the matter told the network that the prince has personally pushed for intervention.
Trump has declined to commit US military forces directly. Instead, he has offered intelligence and targeting assistance, according to the sources.
A senior Trump administration official told the BBC: “We are in continuous dialogue with Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Yemen government regarding regional stability.”
Oil prices rise
The escalation has pushed oil prices higher. The Bab al-Mandab Strait has become a vital alternative to the closed Strait of Hormuz, through which Saudi Arabia ships oil to customers in Asia.
Saudi Arabia relies heavily on the Red Sea route for its exports.
Casualties mount
Hundreds of people have reportedly been killed and thousands displaced in Yemen since the Houthis launched their offensive a week ago. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) says at least 46,000 people have fled their homes.
On Friday, the IOM said the number was “alarmingly rising by the hour.” Amy Pope, IOM director general, said families are fleeing “for the second or third time in this conflict, with almost nothing left.”
Missiles and drones fly
The Saudi-led coalition has struck Houthi-controlled areas in western Yemen in support of pro-government forces. The Houthis have responded with missiles and drones against cities and oil facilities in southern Saudi Arabia.
Iraq’s role
Drones from Iraq targeted Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline on Friday, the Saudi foreign affairs ministry said. The attack forced the pipeline to close as a “precautionary measure,” injuring several people.
Iraq’s government condemned the attack and launched an investigation. Its prime minister’s office said the operations commander in Maysan governorate, a border province near Iran, had been removed from his post.
Saudi Arabia said it chose not to respond to the attacks at this stage, following a call from Iraq’s prime minister.
The stakes
The Houthis ousted Yemen’s internationally recognised government in 2015, triggering Saudi military intervention in the civil war. They now control much of Yemen, including the capital Sanaa.
A truce that held for more than four years collapsed in July.
- Perim Island sits at the narrowest point of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a chokepoint through which millions of barrels of oil pass daily.
- The island controls the entrance to the waterway.
- Yemeni pro-government forces withdrew from Perim on Friday, witnesses and news agencies reported.
- Houthi forces then moved onto the island.
| Conflict | Side | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Bab al-Mandab Strait | Houthis | Control Perim Island |
| Bab al-Mandab Strait | Saudi Arabia | Relying on Red Sea shipping |
| Mokha | Houthis | Captured the port city |
| Mokha | Pro-government forces | Withdrew |
| US response | Trump | Intelligence and targeting |
| US response | Saudi Arabia | Pressing for military action |
The situation is tense, but the US has so far refused to escalate. The Houthis have made clear they see international shipping as off-limits, except for Saudi vessels.
The question now is whether the US will change course as the Houthis tighten their grip on the strait.