According to a report published by the website Gplanet, Houthi forces have captured the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and now control Red Sea shipping lanes. The report, which includes video, has not been independently confirmed.
The Houthi movement claimed on Friday Sep 11 that its forces have captured the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and now control Red Sea shipping lanes, according to a report cited by The Zioneer from the website Gplanet. The claim, accompanied by video footage, was the latest in a series of rapid advances reported throughout the day. Earlier on Friday, Houthi-aligned channels reported the capture of Dhu Bab island—a strategic point overlooking the strait—along with footage of seized armored vehicles and tanks. By the afternoon, additional reports indicated that Houthi forces had seized key coastal towns and islands, including Mayyun Island and Murad, tightening their grip on the waterway.
The Zioneer's published thread shows that the claim of full control of the strait emerged after a day of escalating reports. At 15:31 Jerusalem on Friday, the desk published initial bulletins of the Houthis celebrating a takeover without a fight, followed by the Gplanet analysis detailing strategic implications, and then confirmed reports from Yemeni factions of the earlier capture of Mayyun Island and Murad. This sequence marks a shift from a single unverified source to multiple aligned channels, though the claims have yet to be independently corroborated or officially confirmed by any government or maritime authority.
The Houthi advance toward the strait has been building for days. As The Zioneer reported on Sep 10, the group captured the Al-Omari military base and Zubayr airport, positioning its forces 30 kilometers from the strait. The broader context includes a sustained maritime campaign: the Houthis declared a naval siege on Bab el-Mandeb in late July, sank a vessel using an unmanned surface vessel on Aug 5, attacked a Saudi-flagged commercial ship on Aug 11, and struck the UAE on Aug 18. The US and Saudi Arabia have established a joint command to counter the Iranian-backed proxy, as noted in The Zioneer's background coverage.
Open questions remain. It is not clear whether the Houthis have achieved full physical control of the strait's facilities or whether the claim is primarily propaganda. No statement has been issued by Saudi Arabia, the US-led coalition, or international maritime bodies such as the UKMTO. The extent of any disruption to Red Sea shipping has not been independently verified.
5 developments
- StrongHouthis declared naval siege on Bab el-Mandeb last week, sparking Saudi confrontation
- DevelopingHouthi military spokesman declared naval blockade against Saudi Arabia
- StrongAbu Ali Express: Houthi still controls Bab al-Mandab despite 'almost falling into the water'
- DevelopingTwo Saudi oil tankers cross Bab el-Mandeb strait despite Houthi blockade, Reuters reports
Source and signal
- Open-source intake