Two Yemeni factions — the 'Giant' Brigades and the Pro-Royal Liberation Party — confirmed Friday that Houthi forces now control Mayyun Island and the town of Murad, citing the fall of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to Ansar Allah, according to their official media. The confirmation follows earlier reports of the capture as the Iran-backed group tightens its grip on the strategic waterway.
Two Yemeni factions aligned with the internationally recognized government — the 'Giant' Brigades (Al-Amaliqa) and the Pro-Royal Liberation Party — confirmed in statements circulated by their official media that Houthi forces have seized control of Mayyun Island and the town of Murad, effectively handing the Iran-backed group full command of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The announcement comes minutes after The Zioneer reported the initial capture at 03:55 Jerusalem, based on earlier claims by the Houthi movement itself.
The 'Giant' Brigades are a coalition of Yemeni resistance forces that have fought the Houthis in the past; their acknowledgment of the loss underscores the scale of the Houthi offensive along the Red Sea coast. The Pro-Royal Liberation Party, a monarchist faction, similarly confirmed the fall.
The Houthis, alongside the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), have advanced rapidly over the past weeks, capturing the key port of Mocha and the Hanish Islands, as previously reported by The Zioneer. The seizure of Mayyun and Murad gives the Houthis control of the narrow Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a chokepoint for global trade and Israeli energy security. International response has been limited so far.
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