Yemeni government officials confirmed on September 11 that Houthi fighters had taken Perim Island, also known as Mayyun, after pro-government forces withdrew the previous day. The move followed the capture of the port city of Mokha and the southern coastal town of Dhubab, placing the rebels in full control of the western coastline overlooking the strait. One security official told reporters that the Houthis had seized all of the west and Perim Island too. «They took it all,» a Yemeni security official said. A second official confirmed the details and noted that Zuqar Island had also come under Houthi control.
The advance gives the Iran-aligned group effective oversight of the Bab al-Mandab strait, a waterway that carries about 10 percent of global seaborne trade. Perim Island spans 13 square kilometres and lies in the middle of the 29-kilometre-wide strait between Yemen and Djibouti, dividing it into two separate shipping channels. Control of both the island and the facing mainland allows monitoring of vessels transiting one of the world’s most important maritime passages. A local government official told AFP that armed Houthi fighters arrived by boat to the island after the withdrawal.[[1]](https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2026/09/11/houthis-seize-yemens-entire-western-coast-and-strategic-red-sea-islands/)
Before this offensive the Houthis already held much of northern Yemen including the capital Sanaa and the Red Sea port of Hodeidah but lacked positions directly on Bab al-Mandab. The latest gains come amid a wider Middle East conflict that has seen the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed, forcing Saudi Arabia to reroute its oil exports through the Red Sea according to energy market assessments. Saudi oil shipments now depend heavily on safe passage through the Bab al-Mandab route that the rebels have now encircled.[[2]](https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2026-09-11/yemens-houthis-reach-strategic-island-at-mouth-of-vital-shipping-lane)
An eyewitness reported that Houthi gunmen were deploying along the Bab al-Mandab shore and driving military vehicles in the area following the takeover. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity as fighting continued in the region. Houthi spokesmen have stated that freedom of navigation remains safe and that operations target only specific vessels linked to the conflict.[[3]](https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/09/yemens-houthis-complete-takeover-bab-al-mandab-area-govt-official-afp)
The island’s location has elevated its importance since the onset of the current regional war, with analysts noting that possession allows potential disruption without reliance on long-range weapons. Earlier this year the Houthis had not controlled any areas directly overlooking the strait despite their presence further north along the Red Sea. The development was reported across regional outlets drawing from the same Yemeni government sources on September 11.[[4]](https://clashreport.com/world/articles/houthis-seize-perim-island-and-complete-takeover-of-bab-el-mandeb-strait-a8kj1bhwqil/)
Yemen’s civil war dynamics have merged with the broader confrontation, turning the Red Sea coast into a focal point for proxy influences. Prior to the latest push the internationally recognised government held the western coastal stretch south of Hodeidah with support from Saudi-backed forces. The complete loss of that coastline now shifts the balance toward the Houthis in the maritime domain.
Добавить комментарий