Houthis Close In on Bab al-Mandeb as Yemen’s Perim Island Becomes Strategic Prize

Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels are advancing along the country’s Red Sea coast after capturing the strategic port city of Mocha, bringing the group closer to the Bab al-Mandeb Strait and raising fears of further disruption to global shipping and energy supplies.

The latest offensive has placed Perim Island, also known as Mayyun, at the centre of growing geopolitical tensions.

Located in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait between Yemen and the African coast, Perim occupies a strategically important position along one of the world’s major maritime trade routes.

The Houthis have already advanced to the Hanish Islands, according to Yemeni government sources cited by Reuters, while forces fighting on behalf of Yemen’s internationally recognised government have been pushed south toward Dhubab, which sits close to the strait and opposite Perim Island. 

Why Perim Island Matters

Perim sits at one of the narrowest points of the Bab al-Mandeb, the maritime gateway connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the wider Indian Ocean.

The strait is particularly important for ships transporting oil and other commodities between the Middle East, Europe and Asia.

Reuters estimates that around 7% of global oil output passes through the waterway, making control of the strait a major strategic prize. 

ALSO READ: BREAKING: 5 Dead, 87 Missing After Ferry Catches Fire Off Philippines

The island itself has a long history of strategic importance. Its location once made it valuable to European imperial powers, including Britain, which used it as a coaling station for ships travelling toward India.

Today, however, its importance is tied to the growing confrontation between the Houthis, Saudi-backed Yemeni forces and the wider conflict involving Iran and the United States.

Houthi Advance Raises Shipping Concerns

The capture of Mocha has significantly strengthened the Houthis’ position along Yemen’s western coastline.

The group has already declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia and has targeted Saudi interests as the wider regional conflict has intensified.

Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdulsalam said the group considers international shipping and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb safe, while maintaining that Saudi vessels remain subject to its blockade. 

However, the advance has raised concerns among shipping and energy companies about the possibility of further disruption.

The threat is particularly significant because the Strait of Hormuz has also been severely disruptedamid the wider conflict with Iran.

Saudi Arabia has therefore increased oil shipments through its Red Sea port of Yanbu as an alternative route. Any sustained disruption around Bab al-Mandeb could place additional pressure on global energy markets. 

Iran’s Role Comes Under Scrutiny

The latest Houthi offensive has also intensified questions about Iran’s role in Yemen.

Several Yemeni, Iranian and regional sources cited by Reuters said Iranian Revolutionary Guard personnel provided weapons and strategic guidance during the Houthi advance along the Red Sea coast.

Iran publicly denies directing the Houthis, while the group maintains that its military decisions are its own.

Reuters reported that Iranian sources gave differing accounts of Tehran’s involvement, with some saying Iran encouraged the Houthis to increase attacks against Saudi Arabia while another Iranian official said the move against Mocha was a Houthi decision. 

The developments nevertheless demonstrate how Yemen’s long-running civil war is becoming increasingly intertwined with the broader regional conflict.

A New Front in Yemen’s War

Yemen’s civil war began in 2014 when Houthi forces seized the capital, Sanaa, and pushed the internationally recognised government out of much of the north.

Saudi Arabia intervened militarily the following year in an effort to restore the government.

A UN-brokered truce in 2022 largely halted the most intense phase of the fighting, but no lasting political settlement was reached.

The latest Houthi offensive now threatens to reopen a much wider conflict.

The group’s advance along the Red Sea coast could give it greater leverage over one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints while increasing pressure on Saudi Arabia and its international allies.

Global Economic Impact

The consequences could extend far beyond Yemen.

Any sustained threat to shipping through Bab al-Mandeb could force more vessels to take longer routes around Africa, increasing fuel consumption, insurance costs and delivery times.

Oil markets are already responding to the broader regional crisis. Brent crude moved above $100 a barrel on Thursday as concerns about disrupted supplies intensified. 

The stakes are therefore much larger than the control of a remote Yemeni island.

If the Houthis were to establish effective control over key positions around Bab al-Mandeb, they could gain a powerful ability to threaten or restrict maritime traffic between the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

For Yemen, meanwhile, another escalation could deepen an already severe humanitarian crisis.

Millions of Yemenis remain dependent on humanitarian assistance, while years of war have devastated the country’s economy and infrastructure.

The struggle for control of the country’s western coastline is now taking on an international dimension, with Perim Island and Bab al-Mandeb emerging as potential flashpoints in the wider confrontation between Iran, the United States, Saudi Arabia and their respective allies.