Houthi Insurgents Claim Control of Strategic Island in Yemen
The Iran-backed Houthi insurgents in Yemen announced on Friday that they have captured Perim, a small volcanic island situated in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a key passageway for shipping that links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. This takeover occurred just a day after the Houthis seized the port city of Mokha, with support from Iran.
Officials from Yemen’s internationally recognized yet largely exiled government confirmed the fall of Perim to the Houthis, who have also taken control of Dhubab, the nearest port city to the island.
In response, Saudi Arabia, which backs the Yemeni government and aims to maintain open access to the Red Sea for its oil exports, conducted airstrikes on the airport in Mokha on Friday. However, it remains unclear if these strikes will be followed by ground efforts to reclaim the city.
Maj. Gen. Tareq Saleh, a commander in the Yemeni armed forces, stated that he was compelled to order a “strategic retreat” due to the Houthi advance in the Bab el-Mandeb area.
He remarked, “The armed forces on the western coast suffered significant losses—both in terms of casualties and injuries—over the past few days as they confronted a Houthi attack that was planned and supported by Iran.”
A senior Yemeni military official expressed bewilderment at the absence of Saudi air support to thwart the capture of Mokha, suggesting that they may have needed U.S. approval for such airstrikes. He attributed the Houthis’ successful capture of crucial coastal territory to a “lack of coordination” among the Yemeni forces allied with the government.
Axios reported on Thursday that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had reached out to President Donald Trump twice, urging him to take military action against the Houthis. However, Trump reportedly declined, wanting to avoid direct U.S. involvement in the protracted Yemeni civil war, which has been ongoing for over a decade. U.S. officials conveyed to the Saudis that Trump prefers to keep American military focus on Iran and the Strait of Hormuz.
Another challenge facing the Yemeni government is the diminishing support from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Tensions arose between the UAE and Saudi Arabia in January when the UAE backed a separatist force in southern Yemen called the Southern Transitional Council (STC).
While the STC has been effective against the Houthis, it has also clashed with the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), the Yemeni government backed by Saudi Arabia. The Saudis eventually pushed the UAE out of Yemen, and the STC has since been reluctant to engage in combat outside its own desired territory.
On Friday, Iran, eager to escalate the conflict and pressure the U.S. and its allies economically, called for Saudi Arabia to lift its “blockade” of Yemen and return to peace talks with the Houthis.
A spokesman for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) escalated the situation further, suggesting that any forthcoming negotiations with the U.S. should encompass Yemen as well as Lebanon, where Iran’s proxy forces are also active.
Houthi representatives stated on Friday that they do not plan to obstruct the Bab el-Mandeb Strait from all international shipping, but specifically target Saudi Arabia.
They assured that “freedom of navigation and international trade in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb is safe and orderly,” according to Houthi Politburo member Hazem al-Assad.
Despite these reassurances, anxiety within the oil markets mounts, as any disruption to Saudi oil shipments through the Red Sea could have significant global economic repercussions. Houthi piracy has historically lacked precision regarding which vessels they target, adding to these concerns.
Oil prices surged past $100 per barrel this week, though they dipped slightly on Friday, wrapping up the week with a 9 percent increase. Meanwhile, overall Saudi oil exports plummeted 23 percent in August, reaching their lowest point since 1990.
Jim Reid of Deutsche Bank remarked, “Once again, it is geopolitical fears that are driving everything.” He noted the growing unease regarding the safety of shipping in the Red Sea and the possible consequences for Saudi oil exports following the Houthi capture of Mokha, a port city near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
The Houthis have continued to directly target Saudi Arabia’s oil infrastructure, even as Pakistan hinted at possible intervention to defend the Saudis, under a trilateral defense agreement with Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
Unconfirmed reports have emerged, aided by satellite imagery, suggesting that the Houthis targeted Saudi Arabia’s critical East-West oil pipeline on Friday. This pipeline spans 750 miles, transporting crude oil from refineries in Abqaiq to the Red Sea port city of Yanbu.
Despite visible smoke from satellites following the attack, the Saudi government has not verified any damage to the East-West pipeline or provided details concerning the extent of the incident.
