Houthis complete takeover of Bab-el-Mandeb after seizing Perim Island
Agence France-Presse reported on Friday, 11 September, that Yemen's Houthis seized Mayyun Island (Perim) in the Red Sea, in the middle of the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. Government forces withdrew from the island, and armed fighters arrived by boat. The move completes their control of Yemen's entire Red Sea coastline and one of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints.Fig. 1. Key maritime chokepoints - share of global trade. Source: AFP, Clash Report, TIME.
From Mocha to the strait
The Mayyun capture followed a rapid push along Yemen's western Red Sea coast. On Thursday the Houthis took the port city of Mocha, then advanced toward the small port town of Dhubab, directly opposite Perim Island at the southern entrance to the strait. The offensive began last week, and hundreds have been killed.- Mayyun Island divides the 29km-wide strait into separate shipping lanes;
- Bab-el-Mandeb carries roughly 10% of global seaborne trade;
- Saudi oil tankers are now exposed along the entire Red Sea route.
ℹ INFO
The Houthis declared a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia on 20 July, and vessel traffic through the strait has fallen roughly 24% since. Saudi crude now routes through the Red Sea port of Yanbu as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz.
Why it matters for global markets
With the Strait of Hormuz - which carries about 21% of global seaborne oil trade - also under pressure, the Houthi capture means Iran and its aligned force now control two key maritime chokepoints simultaneously. Brent crude rose above $107 a barrel. UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg warned the Security Council that the conflict has entered "a new and more dangerous phase."
⚠ IMPORTANT
The Houthis say their operations are defensive and will stop when aggression against Yemen ends. But effective control of the strait gives Tehran and the Houthis leverage over global energy supplies.