Houthis Seize Red Sea Islands, 86,000 Flee as Saudi Oil Route Threatened
Iran-backed rebels capture key shipping chokepoint as tens of thousands displaced and Saudi pipeline halts.
Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels have seized strategic islands and coastal territory along the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, tightening their grip on one of the world's most important shipping routes and threatening global oil supplies [238953][238480]. The rapid offensive has displaced nearly 86,000 people and prompted Saudi Arabia to halt oil shipments through a major pipeline following a drone attack [240523][239928].
The Houthis captured Perim Island, also known as Mayun Island, along with the port city of Mokha and the coastal town of Dhubab in a swift military operation against Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces [238953][238331][239185]. The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is a narrow waterway between Yemen and East Africa that connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, with roughly 12 percent of global trade passing through it [238953][238463].
The seizure gives the Houthis a new base to monitor and potentially disrupt the millions of barrels of oil and goods that transit the strait daily [238331]. Ship operators already faced severe risks in the Red Sea, and the attacks on pipelines have added new pressure to the vital trade route [239086].
In response to the Houthi advances, Saudi military forces carried out airstrikes on Mokha airport in Yemen [238741][238480]. The Houthis also fired rockets and drones into southern Saudi Arabia, targeting weapons depots and command centers at a military base [240523][240842].
The United Nations said nearly 86,000 people have fled Yemen, most since early September when the Houthis launched their major offensive [240523]. The Saudi-backed Yemeni government called the rebels' rapid advance along the Red Sea coast a "painful" development [240523].
Iran, which supports the Houthi rebels, denied any involvement in the attacks [239928]. Saudi Arabia said it shut down a major oil pipeline as a precaution after it came under attack [239059].
The fighting threatens global oil supplies and prices, and could give Iran an advantage in its standoff with the United States [240842][239020]. The situation has unsettled energy markets, raising concerns about potential disruptions to oil shipments through the region [238855].