Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis have reached the strategic island of Perim in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, according to four Yemeni government sources. The move tightens their hold on a critical global shipping route amid the ongoing Middle East conflict. Earlier reports from Saudi-backed Yemeni government sources confirmed that their forces withdrew from the island and that the Houthis also seized the nearby coastal town of Dhubab on the mainland Red Sea.
Control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait would give Iran a major advantage in its confrontation with the United States. The waterway sits on the opposite side of the Arabian Peninsula from the Strait of Hormuz. Saudi Arabia has depended heavily on the Red Sea route after the conflict disrupted Hormuz, which previously carried about one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas trade.
Satellite imagery verified by Reuters showed black smoke rising near Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline south of Medina on Thursday. There has been no official confirmation from Riyadh about any incident. Saudi crude production dropped sharply in August to its lowest level in more than three decades, partly because of attacks on shipping linked to Houthi groups.
Yemeni government forces have stated they will launch a counter-offensive to retake areas captured by the Houthis. They plan to use weapons and aircraft against what they call terrorist Houthi militias in strategic zones, including the road leading to the coastal city of Mocha. The rapid Houthi advance along the Red Sea coastline this week reportedly took place with direct guidance from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, according to multiple sources.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman contacted US President Donald Trump at least twice on Thursday seeking military assistance against the Houthis. Washington declined direct military action for the moment but offered intelligence sharing and targeting support. Oil prices remained above 100 dollars a barrel as tensions continued to escalate and diplomatic efforts stayed limited.
