Houthis Grab Perim Island, Tighten Red Sea Shipping Grip

Sat Sep 12 2026 08:27:59 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Yemen’s Houthi rebels claim victory by seizing Perim Island, controlling key shipping route in Red Sea, stoking global oil tensions.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels have taken Perim Island, a strategic point at the mouth of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, consolidating control over the Red Sea shipping lane. This move follows their capture of Mokha and threatens maritime navigation for ships, especially those from Saudi Arabia. The advance has heightened tensions between Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and the US, with potential impacts on global oil prices. Yemen’s humanitarian crisis deepens, with thousands displaced as fighting escalates.

Houthis Grab Perim Island, Tighten Red Sea Shipping Grip

The Iran‑backed Houthi movement has claimed victory by seizing Perim Island, the narrowest point of the Bab al‑Mandab Strait, which is a key gateway for global shipping.

The move follows a recent capture of the port city of Mokha and has the Houthis claiming control over much of Yemen’s western coastline. Saudi Arabia’s leader has urged the U.S. to act, while President Trump has offered intelligence support but declined direct military involvement.

Perim’s control gives the rebels a strategic advantage over the Red Sea shipping lane, a main artery for oil exports to Asia. With the Strait of Hormuz partly closed due to regional conflict, this escalation could push global oil prices higher.

Sources say the Houthis claim the operation, aimed at Saudi-backed forces, was a success and that maritime traffic remains safe except for Saudi vessels. Meanwhile, the war has displaced over 45,000 Yemenis and fueled widespread humanitarian stress.

The international community watches closely as the conflict threatens to further destabilize essential maritime routes that billions of people rely on daily.