Houthis Seize Strategic Island Near Bab el-Mandeb, Raising Fresh Threat to Global Shipping

Iran-aligned Houthi fighters have seized the strategically important Mayun Island, also known as Perim, at the southern entrance to the Red Sea, in a major escalation of the conflict in Yemen and a growing threat to one of the world’s key maritime trade routes.

The seizure was reported by Reuters and confirmed by a senior military official from Yemen’s internationally recognised government as well as a Houthi official, according to The Associated Press. Reuters reported that Houthi forces also reached the mainland coastal town of Dhubab, which faces the island across the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

The development comes just a day after the Houthis captured Mokha, a major Red Sea port roughly 80 kilometres from Bab el-Mandeb. The group has also advanced towards the Hanish Islands as part of a rapid offensive along Yemen’s western coastline.

Mayun is particularly significant because of its position inside the Bab el-Mandeb, the narrow maritime passage connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. The waterway provides a critical link between the Indian Ocean and the Suez Canal route, making it an important corridor for international trade and energy shipments.

The Bab el-Mandeb has become even more strategically important after disruptions to the nearby Strait of Hormuz amid the wider Iran-US conflict. Saudi Arabia has increasingly relied on the Red Sea route to move crude exports after shipping through Hormuz was severely affected. Reuters reported that Saudi crude production and exports have already fallen sharply, while global oil prices were on course to remain above $100 a barrel.

The Houthis have said they are enforcing a blockade against Saudi vessels but claimed that maritime navigation remains safe for other shipping companies. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree described the latest escalation as “blockade for blockade and escalation for escalation” until what the group calls aggression against Yemen ends.

The internationally recognised Yemeni government, meanwhile, is preparing a counter-offensive to retake areas lost during the Houthis’ rapid advance. Reuters reported that government forces intend to deploy weapons and aircraft against Houthi positions, including areas around Mokha and the Red Sea islands.

The escalation has also raised concerns about a return to full-scale civil war in Yemen. The country’s conflict had largely been contained by a fragile truce since 2022, but the recent Houthi offensive and Saudi military response have dramatically increased the risk of a wider confrontation.

The consequences could extend well beyond Yemen. Any sustained disruption around Bab el-Mandeb could force more commercial vessels to avoid the Red Sea and take longer routes around Africa, increasing shipping costs, delivery times and pressure on already elevated energy prices.

Iran’s support for the Houthis has also become a major focus. Reuters reported that Iranian Revolutionary Guard personnel have provided the group with weapons, funding and tactical guidance, although Tehran denies directly controlling Houthi military operations.

With the Houthis now positioned on Mayun Island and along parts of the western Yemeni coastline, the struggle for control of the Bab el-Mandeb has emerged as another major flashpoint in the wider Middle East conflict.