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Houthi rebels seize Yemen's Red Sea coast and strategic Perim Island to gain control of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait

Houthi rebels have taken control of Yemen's entire Red Sea coast, seizing the last coastal towns and pushing onto islands in the Bab al-Mandeb strait. The group captured the port city of Mokha at dawn on Thursday, followed by a rapid advance to seize Perim Island, which sits at the heart of the strait.

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This move strengthens the group's control over a key shipping route that links the Gulf of Aden with the Red Sea. This waterway serves as a critical alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, which has seen reduced exports due to the ongoing war between the United States and Iran. The capture of Mokha and Perim Island puts the Iran-backed group in a position to exercise control over two major oil choke points on either side of the Arabian Peninsula. Hazem al-Assad, a member of the Houthi politburo, stated that international shipping faces no danger and that navigation in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb are safe and orderly. Despite the advance, oil prices were set to close above $100 a barrel for the first time since mid-May.

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