Houthis Seize Perim Island as Saudi Strikes Hit Mokha Airport

Yemen's Houthi rebels have captured a strategic island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the narrow waterway at the southern entrance to the Red Sea, in an advance that poses a fresh threat to one of the world's busiest commercial lanes.

The island of Mayun, also known as Perim, sits roughly 3.5 kilometres off Yemen's western coast. Its capture was confirmed by a senior military official with Yemen's internationally recognised government and by a Houthi official, both speaking on condition of anonymity.

The rebels had seized the port city of Mokha, which overlooks tanker routes out of the Red Sea, a day earlier. Saudi Arabia responded with airstrikes on Mokha's airport, according to a Houthi broadcaster. No damage or casualties were immediately reported.

The gains mark the Houthis' most significant territorial expansion since a 2022 truce halted Yemen's long civil war. With the Strait of Hormuz largely closed amid the US-Iran conflict, the rebels' push along Bab el-Mandeb is expected to add further strain to shipping and oil prices, which have already climbed above 100 dollars a barrel.

The United Nations has warned that renewed fighting between the Houthis and Saudi-backed government forces signals the end of Yemen's relative calm. The UN migration agency says more than 46,000 people have been displaced by the clashes.

Experts say the rebel advance could strengthen Iran's hand by giving Tehran additional leverage in any negotiations with Washington. On Wednesday, the spokesperson for Iran's Revolutionary Guard called for any settlement with the United States to include Yemen — the first explicit mention of that front.

Footage released by the Houthi media office showed explosions and smoke in Jawf province, while material from Yemeni armed forces depicted soldiers and armour advancing near Hazm city. The dates, locations and conditions of the videos could not be independently verified.