“Everything we controlled along the western coast has been lost,” the official told the news agency.
The official also said the Houthis had seized two additional islands in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, following reports that the group had taken control of Perim Island, also known as Mayyun, a strategically located island at the entrance to the vital waterway.
The rapid Houthi advance along Yemen’s western coast has surprised observers and significantly altered the strategic balance around one of the world’s most important maritime routes.
On Thursday, Houthi forces seized the key Red Sea port of Mokha, which had previously been held by forces loyal to Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
Sources in Mokha and surrounding areas said government forces withdrew rapidly as the Houthis entered the city. Local residents reported that shops closed and families began leaving the area amid uncertainty over how far the Houthi advance would extend.
The United Nations has said more than 46,000 people have been displaced by the recent fighting.
But the Houthi advance did not stop at Mokha. On Friday, officials told the Associated Press that Houthi forces had also taken control of Perim, or Mayyun, a small but strategically important island located directly in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Saudi Arabia has responded by carrying out a strike on Mokha airport, according to the reports.
Why Bab el-Mandeb Matters
The Bab el-Mandeb is a narrow maritime passage connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is considered one of the world’s most important trade routes.
The latest developments are particularly significant because shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, on the other side of the Arabian Peninsula, has already been severely disrupted by the war involving Iran.
As a result, Saudi Arabia has become increasingly reliant on the Red Sea route for its oil exports.
Read More: Weak Saudi coalition or better military strategy? How did Yemen’s Houthis advance so quickly to Mocha?
The Houthis have maintained that international shipping remains safe and that their blockade is directed only at Saudi vessels.
However, their latest territorial gains could give the group a much stronger position from which it could potentially threaten maritime traffic if it chooses to do so. That prospect appears to be causing growing concern in Riyadh.
A conflict that had remained largely frozen since 2022 has suddenly moved closer to one of the world’s most strategically important waterways, raising fresh concerns over regional security and the future of global maritime trade.
