Yemen’s Iran‑backed Houthi forces seized control of the Bab el‑Mandeb strait on Friday after capturing Mayyun Island, a key location in the Red Sea waterway, according to a local official and eyewitnesses.
The island, also known as Perim, sits in the narrowest part of the strait and separates the two shipping lanes. “Boats carrying armed Houthi fighters reached Mayyun Island after government forces withdrew yesterday,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The official added that the Houthis now fully control the Bab el‑Mandeb area and Mayyun Island. Meanwhile, witnesses reported gunmen positioned along the strait’s shore and moving in military vehicles.
The advance follows a broader offensive that saw the Houthis capture the strategic port city of Mocha and nearby Zuqar Island on Thursday. The gains were achieved after rocket attacks and a ground assault using boats that transported fighters, according to military sources.
Online footage shows Houthi fighters celebrating in Mocha and seizing weapons and equipment left by retreating government troops. Euronews has not verified the authenticity of the video.
The Houthis already control roughly one‑third of Yemen’s territory and have previously disrupted shipping in the vital waterway, which links Asia and Europe via the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. The strait handles more than a quarter of global crude oil and petroleum trade, and nearly one‑third of the world’s container traffic passes through the Red Sea alone.
Iran and the Houthis have discussed imposing a toll on ships crossing the strait during the summer, a move that could further strain global energy markets. Yemen’s internationally recognised government has warned repeatedly of the Houthis’ intent to dominate the waterway, whose name means “Gate of Tears” in Arabic.
Houthis continue offensive
Formally known as Ansar Allah, the Houthis seized power in late 2014 by overrunning Sana’a and taking the presidential palace and key military sites, forcing the government into exile. The group is part of Tehran’s Axis of Resistance, a network that includes Hezbollah, Hamas and Iraqi militias, all supported by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Hostilities escalated in July when the Houthis allowed an Iranian aircraft to land in Yemeni airspace, defying Saudi control. Riyadh responded with airstrikes on the airport, prompting the Houthis to declare a blockade targeting Saudi oil shipments.
Last week the Houthis launched a large‑scale offensive against Saudi‑backed government forces and also attacked Saudi territory, injuring dozens. Saudi Arabia has retaliated with daily strikes on Houthi‑held areas and has said it retains the right to defend itself, while expressing willingness to negotiate.
Saudi Arabia signed a mutual‑defence pact with Turkey and nuclear‑armed Pakistan in Mecca last month, modelled on NATO’s collective‑defence clause. Although the agreement establishes a security partnership, analysts consider it unlikely that Turkey or Pakistan will commit troops to the Yemeni conflict.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, said his country would “honour” the accord “in case there is a need”. The following day the Pakistani foreign ministry described the Mecca pact as a defensive deterrent, emphasising that it would be invoked only if required.
The United States has warned that Washington would respond to any Houthi attempt to block Red Sea shipping. During Donald Trump’s presidency, the United States conducted a series of strikes in March 2025 targeting Houthi military and industrial facilities. Nevertheless, senior U.S. officials have signalled that America’s focus remains on its ongoing confrontation with Iran, which began in February, and that direct involvement in Yemen is not presently being pursued.
Regional allies assess options
Last month Saudi Arabia concluded a mutual‑defence agreement with Turkey and Pakistan in Mecca, modelled on NATO’s collective‑defence clause. Although the pact establishes a security partnership, analysts consider it unlikely that Turkey or Pakistan will commit troops to the Yemeni conflict.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, said his country would “honour” the accord “in case there is a need”. The following day the Pakistani foreign ministry described the Mecca pact as a defensive deterrent, emphasising that it would be invoked only if required.
U.S. President Donald Trump indicated in July that Washington would respond to any Houthi attempt to block Red Sea traffic. Early in his term, the United States conducted a series of strikes in March 2025 targeting Houthi military and industrial facilities. Nevertheless, senior U.S. officials have signalled that America’s focus remains on its ongoing confrontation with Iran, which began in February, and that direct involvement in Yemen is not presently being pursued.
Tehran responded on Friday by calling for an end to Saudi Arabia’s blockade of Yemen and urging an immediate return to negotiations. In a statement carried by the state‑run IRNA news agency, Iran’s foreign ministry said Yemen’s sovereignty must be respected and that the crisis cannot be resolved through blockades or military alliances.
Iranian officials have also reportedly sent dozens of IRGC advisors to support Houthi operations, though the claims have not been independently verified. A disruption of the Bab el‑Mandeb would align with Iran’s strategic interests, given its own blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which has already placed pressure on global energy markets.
The head of Yemen’s internationally recognised Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad al‑Alimi, urged Arab and other nations to assist in defending the country’s coasts. “Protecting Yemen’s coasts and restoring state control over its territory, ports and waters is a joint Yemeni, Egyptian, Arab and international interest,” al‑Alimi said during a meeting with Egypt’s ambassador.
Since the offensive began last week, more than 500 people have been killed, mostly combatants, according to an AFP tally compiled from multiple sources.
