Houthis seize Mayun Island at the southern entrance to the Red Sea, putting renewed focus on one of the world’s most important shipping corridors.
Reuters and the Associated Press reported on September 11 that the Houthis seized the island—also known as Perim—near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The reports said Saudi Arabia also temporarily shut its East-West oil pipeline after drone attacks, adding to concerns about regional energy flows.
The Bab el-Mandeb connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is a key passage for ships moving between Asia, Europe and the Suez Canal. Control or disruption around the strait can lengthen routes, increase insurance costs and amplify pressure on oil markets.
The situation is fluid. Claims by parties to the conflict should be treated cautiously, and the reports did not establish a final, independent account of every attack or its responsibility. But the capture of Mayun marks a significant geographical shift in a conflict already affecting maritime trade.
