Houthis claim major advance in Yemen and tighten grip on Red Sea shipping lane
Houthi forces have seized strategic locations in Yemen, including Perim Island and the port of Mokha, tightening their control over Red Sea shipping lanes. The situation has prompted Saudi Arabia to seek US military assistance, though the US has limited its involvement to intelligence support.
Why it matters
Escalating control over the Bab al-Mandab Strait poses a significant threat to global maritime security and international trade routes.
Image source, EPA/Shutterstock Image caption, The Houthis escalated fighting last week and have now reportedly taken over a strategic island in the Red Sea
Yemen's Houthis have claimed a major advance on the western Red Sea coast, consolidating their grip on the key international shipping route.
The Iran-backed group seized Perim Island at the mouth of the waterway in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a source from Yemen's internationally-recognised government told the BBC.
It comes a day after the Houthis captured the strategic port city of Mokha from Saudi-backed pro-government forces, according to military sources. A Yemeni military official told the AFP news agency the Houthis now control the entire coastline.
The Houthis earlier said they posed no threat to international shipping but reiterated their threat to target vessels from Saudi Arabia.
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