Houthis Seize Strategic Mayun Island in Bab al-Mandab Strait
SANAA, YEMEN — WEB DESK: Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis have seized Mayun Island, a strategically critical position in the middle of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, tightening their grip on one of the world’s most important maritime trade and energy routes.
Boats carrying armed Houthi fighters reached Mayun, also known as Perim Island, after forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognised government withdrew, a local government official and eyewitnesses told AFP. The takeover was independently reported by Reuters and AP.
The supplied Express Urdu report also says the Houthis captured the coastal town of Dhubab, while Yemeni government forces advised civilians against using the Taiz-Mocha and Mocha-Dhubab routes.
Mayun’s location makes the development particularly significant. The rocky volcanic island lies at the narrowest section of the Bab al-Mandab Strait and effectively divides the waterway into two shipping channels.
The Bab al-Mandab — connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden — is only about 18 miles (29 kilometres) wide at its narrowest point and forms a critical link between Asian markets and Europe through the Suez Canal. Reuters estimates that roughly 7% of global oil output passes through the waterway.
Why Mayun Island Matters
Control of Mayun significantly improves the Houthis’ strategic position around the shipping lanes. However, physical control of territory around a maritime chokepoint should not automatically be described as a complete legal or operational closure of international shipping.
The latest advance follows the Houthis’ capture of the strategically important Red Sea port of Mocha and other positions along Yemen’s western coastline. Reuters reported that the developments have tightened Houthi control over the Bab al-Mandab area.
AP also reported that the advance has heightened concerns over the security of the waterway, particularly because Saudi Arabia has relied on Red Sea export routes as an alternative amid disruption around the Strait of Hormuz.
The consequences extend beyond Yemen. Houthi attacks on commercial vessels beginning in late 2023 previously forced major shipping companies to divert vessels away from the Red Sea and around the Cape of Good Hope, increasing journey times and transportation costs.
Wider Energy Security Concerns
The capture comes at a particularly sensitive moment for global energy markets because instability is simultaneously affecting the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab, two of the Middle East’s most strategically important maritime passages.
Reuters reported that Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline — designed to move crude to the Red Sea and reduce reliance on Hormuz — was also shut following an attack, adding another layer of risk to regional oil exports.
Yemeni government forces are expected to attempt to retake Houthi-held positions, meaning control of the area could remain contested.
The situation is therefore being closely watched by Gulf governments, shipping companies and global energy markets. Any sustained disruption to Bab al-Mandab could increase freight and insurance costs and force more vessels onto significantly longer routes around Africa.
