Houthis take control of Yemen’s Red Sea coast, key shipping route - Al Jazeera

**Houthis seize control of Yemen’s Red Sea coastline and strategic island**

Yemen’s Iran‑backed Houthi movement announced on Sunday that it had taken full control of the Red Sea coastal strip surrounding the island of Perim, a key chokepoint at the mouth of the Bab al‑Mandeb strait. The claim, first reported by *Al Jazeera*, was corroborated by correspondents from the BBC, NDTV, *The Guardian* and *The Hindu*, which all described the Houthi forces as having secured the island after a brief but intense clash with Yemeni government troops and a small contingent of United Arab Emirates (UAE) mercenaries. The takeover marks the culmination of a month‑long offensive that saw the rebels advance from their stronghold in northern Yemen to the strategic maritime corridor that channels roughly one‑third of the world’s petroleum shipments.

The Bab al‑Mandeb strait, linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, is one of the world’s most vital shipping lanes, handling an estimated 20 million barrels of oil per day along with a significant portion of container traffic between Europe and Asia. Control of Perim Island gives the Houthis the ability to monitor, and potentially disrupt, maritime traffic that passes within a few nautical miles of the coast. International shipping firms have already issued advisories, and naval forces from the United States, the United Kingdom and France have heightened patrols in the area to deter any attempts to block or seize vessels. Regional allies, notably Saudi Arabia and the UAE, have condemned the Houthi advance as a “dangerous escalation” that threatens global energy markets and the safety of commercial shipping.

The seizure adds a new dimension to the protracted Yemeni conflict, raising the specter of broader regional involvement. Analysts warn that the Houthi presence at Bab al‑Mandeb could compel the Saudi‑led coalition to launch a renewed military campaign, potentially drawing in Iranian support and further destabilising the already fragile Red Sea security architecture. Humanitarian groups also fear that intensified fighting could exacerbate the dire humanitarian situation in Yemen, where millions remain displaced and in need of aid. Diplomatic efforts, already underway in Geneva and New York, are expected to intensify as the international community seeks to prevent a disruption of a shipping route that underpins a sizable share of the global economy.