Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels seized control of Perim Island, also known as Mayyun, in the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait on Friday, according to multiple Yemeni government officials and a Houthi source. The move gives the group a foothold in a vital chokepoint for global shipping at the southern entrance to the Red Sea.

The capture follows the Houthis' takeover of the nearby port city of Mokha on Thursday and the coastal town of Dhubab. Government forces allied with the Saudi-backed, internationally recognized Yemeni administration withdrew from Perim Island, allowing Houthi fighters to arrive by boat. Officials also reported Houthi advances on other Red Sea islands, including Zuqar and the Hanish Islands.

Perim Island sits in the narrowest section of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, dividing it into two channels and positioning the Houthis to monitor or disrupt tanker traffic. The strait serves as a critical route for energy shipments, particularly as Saudi Arabia has shifted oil exports through the Red Sea amid disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz tied to the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict that escalated after American and Israeli strikes on Iran in February.

Saudi forces responded with airstrikes on the airport in Mokha, a Houthi-affiliated broadcaster reported, though no damage or casualties were immediately confirmed. The internationally recognized government vowed to retake the lost coastal positions.

Analysts described the development as a significant escalation. Ahmed Nagi of the International Crisis Group called the takeover a "game changer" that allows the Houthis to more directly threaten Red Sea shipping. The group already controls much of northern and western Yemen, including the port of Hodeidah.

The advances mark the Houthis' largest territorial gains since a 2022 truce and heighten risks to international commerce through one of the world's busiest maritime corridors. Houthi officials claimed the operations responded to Saudi blockades but stated that navigation remains safe for non-targeted vessels.