Houthis 'take control' of key island in global shipping route
Houthi forces have seized the port of Mokha and the strategically vital island of Perim in the Bab al-Mandab Strait. This advancement threatens a critical global shipping route, causing significant concern for Saudi Arabia and international maritime security.
Why it matters
Control over the Bab al-Mandab Strait gives the Houthis the ability to disrupt global oil supplies and maritime trade, potentially escalating regional conflict.
Nawal Al-Maghafi Senior International Correspondent
The speed of the Houthi advance along Yemen's western coast has taken many by surprise.
On Thursday, the group seized Mokha, the strategically important Red Sea port that had been controlled by forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
Contacts I have been speaking to in and around Mokha described government forces pulling out rapidly as the Houthis entered. Residents spoke of shops closing and families leaving the city, uncertain about how far the group intended to advance. The UN says more than 46,000 people have now fled amid the latest fighting.
But the Houthis have not stopped at Mokha.
On Friday, officials told the Associated Press that Houthi forces had captured Perim, also known as Mayyun, a small but strategically important island sitting directly inside the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Saudi Arabia has responded by striking Mokha airport.
That changes the strategic picture considerably.
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