Houthis seize Perim Island after taking Mokha in Yemen coast advance

The Big Picture

Yemen’s Houthi movement has expanded rapidly along the country’s Red Sea coast, capturing the strategic port city of Mokha and then taking Perim Island in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, according to Yemeni government sources and news agencies. The advances put the Iran-aligned group in a stronger position near one of the world’s most important shipping passages, at a moment when Saudi Arabia has become increasingly reliant on Red Sea export routes.

A Yemeni military official told AFP that the Houthis now control the country’s entire western coastline. Other reporting described the group as having seized a string of coastal towns and territory, but the precise extent of its gains remains disputed.

The fighting is the most serious escalation in Yemen since a UN-brokered truce brought relative calm after 2022. UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg told an emergency Security Council meeting that the country had entered a “new and more dangerous phase of war.”

What Happened

Houthi forces captured Mokha on Sept. 10 from Saudi-backed pro-government forces, military sources said. On Sept. 11, pro-government forces withdrew from Perim, also known as Mayun, and Houthi fighters moved onto the island, a source from Yemen’s internationally recognized government told the BBC.

Perim lies near the narrowest point of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and forms part of the sea route between Asia and Europe. Its position gives the force holding it a clearer vantage point over vessels entering and leaving the Red Sea.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group’s large-scale offensive began on Sept. 3 and claimed it had expelled Saudi-backed forces from six districts in the Taiz and Hodeidah regions. He said hundreds of opposing troops had been killed, wounded or captured, a claim that could not be independently verified from the available reporting.

Saudi Arabia has supported Yemeni government forces with airstrikes against Houthi-held areas. The scale of casualties is unclear: reports have described hundreds killed, while separate Guardian accounts put the toll at more than 500 deaths or more than 1,000 people killed or wounded.

Why It Matters

The Bab al-Mandab has gained importance as conflict involving Iran has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Saudi Arabia has increasingly used Red Sea routes to send crude to customers in Asia, making the passage and the Yemeni coast strategically significant for the kingdom’s energy exports.

The Houthis said maritime navigation was safe for all companies except Saudi vessels, which they said were subject to a blockade. Shipping companies may be wary of that assurance. The group had already demonstrated an ability to threaten Red Sea traffic with missiles, drones and small boats before its latest territorial gains.

Oil prices have risen above $100 a barrel amid the wider escalation. The impact of the Houthi advance on shipping will depend on whether the group follows through on threats against vessels or attempts to broaden its campaign beyond Saudi-linked ships.

Pressure on Saudi Oil Routes

Saudi Arabia said it shut its East-West oil pipeline as a precaution after a drone attack that injured several people. Saudi authorities said the drones originated in Iraq. The Iraqi government said its investigation determined that the attack was launched from Maysan governorate, and Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi ordered an investigation and removed the local operations commander.

The pipeline carries crude across Saudi Arabia to the Red Sea port of Yanbu and has become more important as shipping through Hormuz has been disrupted. The closure, alongside Houthi gains near Bab al-Mandab, has underlined the vulnerability of Saudi Arabia’s alternative export routes.

Humanitarian Cost and What Happens Next

The International Organization for Migration said at least 46,000 people had been displaced since the latest escalation began, mainly in Taiz and Hodeidah. IOM Director General Amy Pope said families were being forced to flee for a second or third time, often with almost nothing left.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has pressed US President Donald Trump to take military action against the Houthis, according to sources cited by the BBC and CNBC. Trump has declined direct US military involvement while offering intelligence and targeting support, the reports said. A senior US administration official said Washington remained in continuous dialogue with Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s internationally recognized government.

The Houthis have controlled much of northwestern Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa, since ousting the internationally recognized government in 2015. Their newest gains expose the weakness and internal divisions of anti-Houthi forces, while raising the prospect of a longer and broader conflict around a vital maritime corridor.