Houthis seize strategic Perim Island in Bab el-Mandab Strait

Houthi fighters seized strategic Perim Island in the Bab al-Mandab Strait on Friday, a Yemeni government military source told Anadolu.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Houthis had taken control of the island, known in Arabic as Mayyun.

The takeover means the group has completed its control of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the source added.

Neither the Houthis nor the Yemeni government had officially commented on the reported takeover as of 1030GMT.

Perim Island holds exceptional strategic importance because of its location in the middle of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, where it divides the waterway into two channels.

The takeover is likely to heighten regional and international concerns over maritime security and the movement of commercial vessels and energy tankers through Bab al-Mandab.

The strait connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and is one of the world’s most important routes for international trade and energy shipments.