According to reports, Houthi forces have captured several islands in the Bab el-Mandeb strait in recent hours. Footage attributed to the Houthis shows their presence on the islands. The move could threaten shipping through the strategic waterway.
Footage circulating on Houthi-affiliated channels shows Ansar Allah (Houthi) personnel on islands in the Bab el-Mandeb strait, providing visual evidence of the group's presence in the strategic waterway. The move follows a rapid series of advances by the Iran-backed movement along Yemen's Red Sea coast earlier this week.
On Thursday morning (04:31 Jerusalem), The Zioneer reported that Houthi forces had captured the strategic port of Mocha and advanced onto the Hanish Islands, pushing government-aligned forces toward Dhubab near Perim Island. Yemeni government sources confirmed shortly thereafter that Houthi fighters had reached Perim Island, which lies at the narrowest point of the strait, just 21 kilometers from the opposite shore. Later reports indicated that the Houthis had landed on the island, and by Thursday evening the group claimed final control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, warning of economic consequences for Israel and Saudi Arabia.
The footage released Friday appears to corroborate the earlier claims of a presence on the islands, though independent verification is still pending. The Bab el-Mandeb strait is a vital chokepoint for global maritime trade and energy shipments, and control of the islands would give the Houthis a strategic position to monitor or disrupt shipping.
The exact islands shown in the footage and the extent of the Houthi control—whether they have established permanent positions or defensive systems—remain unconfirmed. The development follows a pattern of Houthi expansion backed by Iran, but on-the-ground verification by independent sources is still awaited.
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