In Current Wars in the World, Houthi Forces Seize Mayun Island in Yemen's Bab al-Mandeb Strait
In current wars in the world, Iran-backed Houthi forces have seized control of Yemen's strategic Mayun Island in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait after a rapid offensive that captured the port city of Mocha and the entire Red Sea coastline, displacing at least 76,000 people and driving up global oil prices above $100 per barrel.
Houthi Seizure of Mayun Island
Houthi forces have taken control of the island of Mayun, also known as Perim, tightening their grip on the eastern coast of the Red Sea and giving the group a strategic foothold in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. [1] The takeover was confirmed on Friday by a senior military official of Yemen’s internationally recognised government and a Houthi official, according to The Associated Press news agency. [1] Mayun Island is a 13sq km volcanic island in the heart of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the narrow southern corridor at the entrance to the Red Sea. [1] By controlling the island, which splits Bab al-Mandeb into two channels, the Houthis now have a physical outpost in the strait. [1] Houthi forces seized the port city of Mocha on Thursday. [1]
Civilian Displacement and Chaos
At least 76,000 people have fled from their homes in Yemen since July, according to the UN’s migration organisation IOM. [2] The number has nearly doubled in recent days, with the figure standing at 46,000 only days earlier. [2] Entire families are on the move, often at night, with no safe places to go, said IOM Director General Amy Pope. [2] Descriptions from those fleeing are dramatic. A man named Mohamed, 46, who fled from Mokha in the middle of the night, described an “apocalyptic” atmosphere in the city. [2] Another, Alaa Ali Salem, who fled from the al-Khawkha district, said the family left in panic on a motorcycle without knowing where they were going, the roads suddenly became extremely crowded, the motorcycle overturned and his wife, children and he were all injured. [2] Taiz is the hardest-hit province, with around 50,000 people displaced, according to IOM. [2]
Strategic Impact on Shipping Routes
The Houthis also control the areas surrounding the strait, including the island of Hanish and the entire Red Sea coastline of Yemen. [1] Wolfgang Pusztai, a security, policy and defence analyst, said the Houthis’ advance and seizure of the whole of Yemen’s Red Sea coast means the group now “has the real capability to shut down any maritime traffic through Bab al-Mandeb if they want to”. [1] The Houthis have said that general shipping in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb is safe from attacks, except for vessels linked to Saudi Arabia, which they will blockade. [1] Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group would continue a “siege for siege” and “escalation for escalation” strategy against Saudi Arabia. [1] Between November 2023 and mid-2025, the Houthis attacked more than 100 commercial ships in the Red Sea. [1] The Houthis would “be able to use shorter-range missiles rather than long-range artillery to attack the ships,” said Pusztai. [1]
Economic Repercussions for Oil Markets
The situation is especially critical because Iran has already disrupted the Strait of Hormuz on the other side of the Arabian Peninsula after the US-Israel war on Iran earlier this year. [2] Saudi Arabia has therefore been dependent on exporting oil via the Red Sea. [2] On Friday, Saudi Arabia had to close a key oil pipeline after drone attacks that Saudi authorities believe originated from Iraq, according to AP. [2] Oil prices have already risen above 100 dollars per barrel, up from around 80 dollars. [2] Further disruption could halt around 7 percent of the world’s petroleum supply and about 12 percent of world trade. [2]
Reactions from US and Saudi Leadership
US President Donald Trump said the Houthis had asked the US not to intervene in the conflict against Yemen’s internationally recognised government. [1] He said the Houthis “called us”. [1] “They don’t want to fight us, they let us know,” Trump said. [1] “They would much prefer not having us involved and they’re letting most ships go through. There’s just one country that they’re not too happy with and we’ll get that straightened out.” [1] Trump added that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is a “good friend” and “everything will work out fine”. [1] According to Reuters, Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammed bin Salman called Trump on Thursday and asked for US military help against the Houthis. [2] He was told that Washington would not intervene directly for the time being but would assist with intelligence. [2]
Outlook for Holding the Island in Current Wars in the World
That will depend on how much effort Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces, which reportedly quickly withdrew as the Houthis advanced on it, put into recapturing the island, said Andreas Krieg, associate professor at King’s College London. [1] The Houthis are in a strong position to hold the island in the short term due to their control of surrounding areas, Krieg told Al Jazeera. [1] However, “the island itself is difficult to defend against an amphibious assault in the long run” though such an assault “would be a high-risk operation as well”. [1] Farea Al-Muslimi, a research fellow at Chatham House’s Middle East and North Africa programme, said the Houthis’ rapid push across the Red Sea coast and onto Perim Island was not surprising. [1] He cited poor coordination and weak armament among government forces, despite a yearlong Saudi-backed effort to consolidate them into an effective fighting force and an effective years-long military build-up by the Houthis. [1]
What to watch next: UN special envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg warned the Security Council on Thursday that the country is facing “a new and more dangerous phase of the war”.
