Houthi advance puts Bab el-Mandeb shipping route under renewed pressure
Yemeni government sources say Iran-aligned Houthi forces have captured Perim Island and nearby coastal territory, though the claims have not been independently confirmed.
Iran-aligned Houthi forces have reportedly captured Yemen’s strategic Perim Island at the southern entrance to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, according to Yemeni government sources cited by Reuters and reported by France 24.
Two sources from Yemen’s Saudi-backed, internationally recognised government said forces had withdrawn from Perim and that the Houthis had also taken Dhubab, a mainland coastal town facing the island. Other reported gains include Mocha and the Hanish Islands, although the extent of Houthi control remains unclear.
The Bab el-Mandeb links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is a major international shipping corridor. The reported advance comes amid a wider Iran-US conflict and follows disruption around the Strait of Hormuz, increasing concern over alternative routes used for Saudi oil exports.
Reuters reported that Saudi Arabia had sought US military assistance. Washington was said to have offered intelligence-sharing and targeting support, but not direct military action for now. Saudi Arabia did not confirm reported attacks near its East-West oil pipeline, while satellite imagery showing smoke did not establish the cause.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said maritime navigation remained safe except for Saudi vessels covered by an existing ban. Claims of Iranian military direction and support for the advance are disputed by Iran, and the reported capture of Perim Island and Dhubab has not been independently confirmed in the supplied material.
