Yemen's Houthi movement has consolidated its control over a critical international shipping route after launching a major military advance along the western Red Sea coast. According to sources within Yemen's internationally recognized government and military officials, the Iran-backed group has seized Perim Island at the mouth of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, just a day after capturing the strategic port city of Mokha from Saudi-backed pro-government forces.
A Yemeni military official confirmed that the Houthis now control the entire coastline.
The rapid Houthi advance has prompted high-level diplomatic pressure. Sources familiar with the matter revealed that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, personally urged US President Donald Trump to launch military action against the advancing Houthi forces.
President Trump has so far declined direct US military involvement, choosing instead to offer intelligence and targeting support. A senior Trump administration official stated that the US remains in continuous dialogue with Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni government regarding regional stability.
Meanwhile, the Saudi energy ministry announced the precautionary closure of its east-west oil pipeline after it was targeted in multiple Thursday morning attacks across the Riyadh and Medina regions, which resulted in several injuries. This pipeline has become an increasingly vital route for Saudi Arabia to bypass the Strait of Hormuz.
On Friday, Yemeni pro-government forces withdrew from Perim Island, also known as Mayyun. Witnesses reported seeing Houthi forces move onto the strategic island, which sits at the narrowest point of the Bab al-Mandab Strait. While the Houthis issued a statement declaring their military operation to expel Saudi-backed forces a success, they did not explicitly mention Perim Island.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea stated that the large-scale operation was initiated on September 3 in response to Saudi Arabia's "blatant aggression" against the Yemeni people.
Sarea claimed that Houthi forces successfully expelled Saudi-backed troops from six districts across the Taiz and Hodeidah regions, leaving hundreds of enemy soldiers dead, wounded, or captured. The Houthis reiterated that maritime navigation remains safe for all commercial shipping companies, with the sole exception of Saudi vessels.
The strategic importance of Perim Island has grown significantly following the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz amidst ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran. Saudi Arabia heavily relies on the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Red Sea to transport its oil to buyers in Asia. The escalating conflict has already triggered a sharp surge in global oil prices.
The humanitarian toll of the offensive, which began in the southwest a week ago, has been severe. Hundreds of people have reportedly been killed and thousands more displaced. In response to the Houthi advance, a Saudi-led military coalition has launched air strikes on Houthi-held areas in western Yemen, while the Houthis have targeted cities and energy infrastructure in southern Saudi Arabia with missiles and drones.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that at least 46,000 people have been displaced in Yemen since the escalation began, a figure that is rising alarmingly by the hour.
IOM Director General Amy Pope emphasized the desperation of the situation, noting that families are being forced to flee for the second or third time with almost nothing left. This latest escalation follows the collapse of a four-year truce in July. The Houthis originally ousted the internationally recognized government in 2015, prompting the Saudi-led military intervention, and they currently control the capital, Sanaa, along with much of Yemen.
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