Israel Raises Naval Alert as Houthis Advance Near Bab el-Mandeb
TEL AVIV, ISRAEL — WEB DESK: Israel has increased the readiness and surveillance of its naval forces amid growing concern over advances by Yemen’s Houthi movement near the strategically important Bab el-Mandeb Strait, according to Israeli media reports.
Express Urdu, citing Anadolu and Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, reported on Monday that Israeli security authorities are closely monitoring the Houthis’ expanded presence along Yemen’s Red Sea coast and their strengthening positions around the vital maritime passage.
Israeli assessments cited in the report said the withdrawal of Yemeni government forces from Mayun, also known as Perim Island, could increase the Houthis’ ability to influence maritime traffic in the southern Red Sea. The island lies at the entrance to Bab el-Mandeb and occupies a strategically significant position.
The underlying territorial shift is supported by broader international reporting. The Associated Press reported that the Houthis have seized strategic Red Sea islands following earlier gains that included Mokha and Mayun Island, strengthening their position around critical maritime routes.
Bab el-Mandeb connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, making it a crucial passage for international shipping. Any prolonged instability around the strait could affect trade and energy transportation between Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
The developments have broader implications for regional energy security. Reuters reported that the Houthis’ gains along Yemen’s Red Sea coastline have increased their strategic leverage around Bab el-Mandeb at a time when shipping and energy markets are already under pressure from tensions elsewhere in the Middle East.
The latest advance comes amid renewed fighting between the Houthis and Yemeni government-aligned forces. AP reported that the escalation has included additional Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, while territorial changes along Yemen’s western coastline have intensified concerns about international shipping.
For Israel, the security of Red Sea shipping is particularly significant because maritime routes through Bab el-Mandeb provide access northward toward the Red Sea and Israeli ports.
The situation remains fluid, and Israeli authorities have not been reported as announcing direct military action in response to the latest Houthi territorial gains. The current move is therefore best characterised as an increase in naval readiness and monitoring, rather than the start of a new Israeli operation.
