World
Houthi Forces Seize Strategic Red Sea Island, Cementing Control Over Bab al-Mandeb Strait
Yemen's Houthi movement has taken control of Mayyun Island, also known as Perim, located at the center of the Bab al-Mandeb shipping lane, according to a local government official and eyewitnesses who spoke to AFP on Friday, September 11, 2026.
The official said armed Houthi fighters arrived on the island by boat after government forces had withdrawn from the position the previous day. Mayyun Island splits the strategic strait into two separate shipping lanes, making control of it significant for oversight of vessel traffic through the waterway.
An eyewitness reported that armed fighters were seen positioning themselves along the shore of the Bab al-Mandeb strait and patrolling the area in military vehicles.
The takeover marks the completion of the Houthis' effort to establish control over the broader Bab al-Mandeb strait region, one of the world's most important maritime chokepoints for international shipping.