Houthis capture Perim Island, seize control of Bab al-Mandeb strait

Houthi fighters entered Perim Island on Tuesday, completing their occupation of the Bab el‑Mandeb strait after Yemeni government forces withdrew from the position. Perim, which splits the narrow waterway into two parallel shipping lanes, controls the main conduit for vessels traveling between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The takeover gives the Houthis full command of the strait’s navigation routes, allowing them to monitor and potentially disrupt the flow of commercial traffic that passes through the chokepoint each day.

The seizure coincides with Iran’s ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, another critical maritime passage that handles a substantial share of global oil shipments. Together, the two hostile controls affect roughly one‑third of the world’s seaborne trade, raising concerns among shipping companies and governments about the security of supply chains and the potential for increased insurance costs and rerouting of vessels. International observers are monitoring the situation closely as the combined disruptions could have significant economic repercussions worldwide.