Iran-backed Houthi rebels have captured three strategic islands in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, including Mayyun Island and Perim Island, as part of a rapid offensive along Yemen’s Red Sea coast. The developments mark the most significant escalation in Yemen’s conflict since a 2022 UN-brokered truce, with 46,000 people displaced across Taiz and Hodeidah governorates in the past week alone.
The Houthi advance has seized control of the entire Yemeni side of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a critical shipping corridor linking Europe and Asia, and the Red Sea coastline. Witnesses reported Houthi fighters deploying along the strait’s shore in military vehicles, while a local official confirmed the group’s takeover of Greater and Lesser Hanish islands, completing their control of the waterway.
Humanitarian Impact
Displaced civilians described harrowing escapes, with families abandoning homes with little warning. Mohammed Khudairi, a displaced man, told The Guardian: “We managed to leave, but others remain trapped there.” Aid workers reported struggling to keep pace with the rapidly shifting frontlines, as shelling forced families to flee on foot or in improvised vehicles. Al-Megdad Hashem, another displaced Yemeni, recounted how 34 people, including his elderly parents, crowded into a truck normally used for construction materials after shelling wounded two people.
Global Trade and Security Concerns
The capture of the islands, particularly Mayyun Island in the middle of the strait, heightens the Houthis’ ability to disrupt shipping. The Bab al-Mandab Strait carries 12% of the world’s goods, including millions of barrels of oil daily. Saudi Arabia, a key U.S. ally, shut down its East-West oil pipeline as a “precautionary measure” following attacks, while the Houthis declared maritime navigation safe for all vessels except Saudi-flagged ships.
A Houthi military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, stated: “Maritime navigation is safe for all companies except for Saudi vessels.” However, markets reacted nervously, with oil prices rising above $100 per barrel amid concerns over the strait’s stability. The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and Saudi-backed Yemeni forces had previously assured support for the port city of Mocha, but air cover never materialized as the Houthis advanced. Mocha and Perim Island fell within 36 hours, raising questions about military preparedness.
Regional and International Responses
Iranian Supreme Leader adviser Mohammad Mokhber congratulated the Houthis on their “resounding victory,” framing the capture as a strategic gain alongside Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz. A Chatham House analyst noted that Iran now controls two of the Middle East’s most critical chokepoints, amplifying concerns over regional stability.
Retired U.S. Navy SEAL Robert Harward warned of an “immediate response” to the Houthi takeover, suggesting potential strikes, naval blockades, or even boots-on-the-ground operations. Harward emphasized the strategic value of Perim Island, which provides line-of-sight targeting for anti-ship weapons and mine deployment.
The UN’s special envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, described the situation as entering “a new and more dangerous phase of war,” cautioning that the renewed fighting could draw Yemen deeper into a wider regional conflict. The UN confirmed that its staff had safely evacuated from Mocha before the city’s capture, but no personnel remain in the area.
Background: The Yemen Conflict
Yemen’s civil war, now in its ninth year, pits the Iran-backed Houthi rebels against a Saudi- and U.S.-backed government. A 2022 UN-brokered truce had largely paused large-scale fighting, but tensions escalated in recent months amid broader U.S.-Iran hostilities. The Houthis have increasingly targeted shipping in the Red Sea and Strait of Hormuz, disrupting global oil supplies and trade routes.
Saudi Arabia’s reliance on the Red Sea for oil exports has grown since Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, further underscoring the strategic importance of the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The Iraqi government also reported investigating attacks on Saudi Arabia launched from its territory, highlighting the conflict’s regional spillover.
As the humanitarian crisis deepens and trade routes face uncertainty, the international community faces mounting pressure to address the escalation before it triggers broader economic and security consequences.