On Friday, September 11th, the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen launched a rapid offensive and seized the strategic location of Perim Island, also known as Mayun Island, located at the entrance of the Red Sea in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
This shift in the geopolitical situation further threatens Saudi Arabia’s oil exports through this globally important maritime route. The internationally recognized government of Yemen confirmed that a senior military official and a Houthi militia member disclosed to the Associated Press that with the port on the opposite shore falling and the possibility of being cut off, government forces evacuated Perim Island on Friday. The Houthi rebels immediately took full control of this roughly 13-square-kilometer (approximately 5-square-mile) barren volcanic island, only about 3.5 kilometers (2 miles) off the western coast of Yemen and strategically positioned at the throat of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Just the day before capturing Perim Island, the Houthi rebels had already seized the nearby key port city of Mokha on Thursday. In response, Saudi Arabia reportedly launched airstrikes against Mokha, targeting the airport, as reported by the Houthi-controlled radio station. There have been no immediate reports of casualties or damage to facilities.
The Bab el-Mandeb Strait carries about 12% of global trade volume, making it particularly crucial for the United States’ key ally, Saudi Arabia. Previously, Saudi Arabia had enforced a long-standing maritime and aerial blockade of the Houthi-controlled areas to prevent Iran from supplying weapons to the rebels. This blockade exacerbated the local humanitarian crisis and escalated retaliatory attacks by the rebels on Saudi oil tankers and shipping facilities. Saudi Arabia is currently making efforts to ensure the smooth export of its oil from the region.
On Friday, the Iranian Foreign Ministry issued its first public statement since the Houthi rebels entered the port of Mokha, calling on Saudi Arabia to immediately end the blockade on Yemen, resume negotiations with the rebels, and reaffirming its support for its allies.
Yemeni government officials, Iranian sources, and regional informants informed Reuters that the Houthi rebels’ coastal advances this week were carried out under direct guidance from the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdulsalam stated that their actions were defensive in nature and would cease once attacks on Yemen stopped.
The Yemeni National Defense Council, led by President Rashad al-Alimi, strongly condemned the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and declared that they would respond to security threats across the country.