Houthis claim control of key island near Bab el-Mandab
Takeover expands Houthi reach over vital shipping route
Highlights
- Houthis reportedly seize strategic Perim Island
- Takeover follows capture of Mokha port
- Bab el-Mandab is vital to global shipping
- Saudi Arabia faces growing maritime security risks
- Fighting has displaced 46,000 people since last week
Iran-backed Houthi forces have taken control of Perim Island, also known as Mayyun, at the mouth of the Bab el-Mandab Strait after pro-government forces withdrew, according to Yemeni government sources cited by the BBC and other media.
The reported takeover on Friday (11 September) came a day after the Houthis captured the strategic Red Sea port city of Mokha, further expanding their control along Yemen's western coast.
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The Houthis did not specifically mention Perim Island in a statement following their latest advance. They said their military operation against Saudi-backed forces had succeeded and claimed that "maritime navigation is safe for all companies except for Saudi vessels".
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said the operation began on 3 September in response to what he called Saudi Arabia's "blatant aggression". He claimed Houthi forces had driven Saudi-backed troops from six districts in the Taiz and Hodeidah regions, with hundreds of troops killed, wounded or captured.
Saudi Arabia has not publicly commented on the latest developments.
Why Perim Island matters
Perim lies at the narrowest point of the Bab el-Mandab Strait, a strategic maritime passage connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. The waterway is an important shipping route between Europe and Asia and has gained further significance amid the disruption of the Strait of Hormuz.
The Houthis' reported seizure of the island follows their capture of Mokha, giving the group a stronger position along the approach to the Bab el-Mandab.
Two sources told CBS News, the BBC's North American media partner, that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had personally urged US President Donald Trump to take military action against the Houthis.
Trump has so far declined to directly involve US forces, instead offering intelligence and targeting support, according to the sources.
A senior Trump administration official told the BBC that Washington remained in "continuous dialogue" with Saudi Arabia and Yemen's internationally recognised government over regional stability.
Fighting triggers fresh displacement
The escalation has also deepened Yemen's humanitarian crisis.
At least 46,000 people have been displaced since fighting intensified last week, according to the International Organization for Migration.
IOM Director General Amy Pope said many families were being forced to flee for a second or third time, often with almost nothing left.
The Houthis ousted Yemen's internationally recognised government in 2015, prompting a Saudi-led military intervention. The group still controls large parts of the country, including the capital Sanaa.
A truce that had largely held for more than four years effectively collapsed in July, followed by a sharp escalation in fighting along Yemen's western coast.
