Houthis capture strategic Red Sea island

Yemen’s Houthi movement announced a decisive advance on 3 September, seizure of Perim Island at the mouth of the Bab al‑Mandab Strait, and a day after capturing Mokha, the port city on the western Red Sea coast.

Perim sits at the narrowest point of the strait, a critical juncture for shipping oil to Asia. The Houthi claim that maritime navigation remains safe except for Saudi vessels reflects a new warning to international traffic that could reshape global trade routes.

Saudi leadership has risen sharply, with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman urging President Donald Trump to act. Trump, however, declined direct military involvement and offered intelligence and targeting support, stating the U.S. remains in continuous dialogue with Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s government about regional stability.

The Houthi statement describes the operation as a “success” and highlights elimination of Saudi forces from six districts in Taiz and Hodeidah regions, citing heavy casualties among adversaries.

The conflict’s escalation, including air strikes by a Saudi‑led coalition and Houthi missile and drone attacks on southern Saudi positions, has surged oil prices. Since the offensive began in the south‑west last week, over 46,000 Yemenis have begun displacement, with the IOM warning numbers are rising alarmingly.

The seizure of Perim underscores the Houthis’ ability to challenge key maritime chokepoints, potentially altering the strategic balance in the Red Sea and exposing the wider geopolitical implications of the ongoing civil war.