Houthis capture strategic island after advancing along the Red Sea coast
Yemeni Houthis on the morning of September 11 captured the strategic island of Perim, also known as Mayyun, in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, reports Yemeni outlet Aden Al-Ghad citing its own sources. The advance came a day after the group took control of the port city of Mokha on the Red Sea coast.
According to Aden Al-Ghad, Houthi forces reached Perim on Friday morning and established control over the island. The outlet links this to the group's rapid advance along Yemen's western coast toward Bab el-Mandeb.
The capture of Perim is also reported by world news agencies.
Information about control of Perim is currently based on media reports, and the situation in the strait area continues to change rapidly.
From Mokha to Bab el-Mandeb
The new phase of the offensive began after the Houthis established control over Mokha on September 10, a strategic port city on the Red Sea coast. The city was previously held by forces of the internationally recognized Yemeni government.
Al Jazeera Arabic notes that Mokha is located approximately 70 km north of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and is one of the key points on the approaches to it. Control over the city shifts the balance of power along the western coast and brings the Houthis closer to international maritime routes.
Now, according to Aden Al-Ghad, the advance has reached Perim itself. The island is located directly inside the Bab el-Mandeb Strait between Yemen and the African coast.
Through Bab el-Mandeb passes the sea route from the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea, the Suez Canal, and onward to European ports. Therefore, control over territories near the strait matters not only for the war in Yemen but also for international trade and energy transport.
Perim's importance grows due to problems in the Strait of Hormuz
CNN Arabic the day before called Perim one of the main strategic objectives of the current confrontation. The island lies in the narrow part of Bab el-Mandeb and allows the forces controlling it to be directly near commercial shipping routes.
The strait gained particular importance due to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. Amid those disruptions, Saudi Arabia redirected part of its oil exports through pipeline infrastructure to the Red Sea, increasing the role of the Bab el-Mandeb route for global energy supplies.
Thus, in just a few days, the Houthis have significantly expanded their presence in the western coastal area of Yemen: after advancing to Mokha, fighting shifted directly to Bab el-Mandeb. The transition of Perim to their stable control could further increase risks for tankers and container ships using this route.
The escalation occurs simultaneously with shipping problems through the Strait of Hormuz, so risks remain elevated for two key Middle Eastern maritime routes at once.
Sources: Aden Al-Ghad, Al Jazeera Arabic, CNN Arabic
