SANAA, September 11, 2026: Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi forces have seized control of strategic Perim Island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, opening a dangerous new chapter in their confrontation with Saudi Arabia and threatening one of the world’s most important maritime routes.
The Houthi advance came after the group captured the Red Sea port city of Mocha and pushed south along Yemen’s western coast. Yemeni government forces reportedly withdrew from the island and nearby areas as the Houthis expanded their presence around the narrow waterway connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
The escalation follows a major Houthi assault on southern Saudi Arabia on September 8, when missiles and drones struck areas including Jazan, Abha, Najran and Khamis Mushait. Saudi authorities said the attacks injured 73 people and caused fires at energy facilities, including installations linked to Saudi Aramco.
The attacks have placed Saudi Arabia’s energy infrastructure under renewed pressure. The International Energy Agency said Saudi crude oil supply fell to about 6 million barrels per day in August, its lowest level in more than three decades, with disruptions linked to attacks and instability around key export routes.
Saudi Arabia is now confronting a widening threat along both its southern border and the Red Sea. The Houthis’ growing control around Bab el-Mandeb could give them greater ability to threaten commercial shipping and Saudi oil exports, particularly as other regional waterways remain severely disrupted.
The crisis has also reached Washington. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly asked U.S. President Donald Trump for direct military action against the Houthis, but Washington declined direct strikes and offered intelligence and targeting support instead.
Oil markets have already reacted to the escalation, with crude prices moving above $100 a barrel as attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure and the threat to Red Sea shipping deepen concerns about global supplies.
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