Yemen's Houthis Complete Takeover of Strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait Area

Yemen’s Houthi forces have completed their takeover of the Bab el-Mandeb area, seizing a strategic port and island from Yemeni government forces.

President Donald Trump stated Yemen’s Houthis have asked the US not to intervene. Saudi Arabia stopped transferring oil through a major pipeline following drone attacks, though Iran, which backs the Houthis, denied involvement. A government official told AFP that the Houthis completed the takeover of the Bab al-Mandab area. Egypt called for de-escalation in Bab El-Mandeb and protection of the Suez Canal.

The Houthis seized the Red Sea port of Mokha on Thursday and Mayun Island on Friday. Mayun Island is located within the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a narrow gateway linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, through which approximately 12 percent of global trade typically passes. The Houthi offensive also included strikes on Saudi cities and energy infrastructure.

The U.S. Maritime Administration recorded over 100 separate Houthi attacks on commercial vessels affecting more than 60 countries between November 2023 and October 2025. The Houthi capture of Bab el-Mandeb could enable Tehran to replicate its Strait of Hormuz strategy, potentially blockading Gulf energy exports to the Indian Ocean. India, a major energy importer, relies on Bab el-Mandeb for crude imports and access to Europe. After Houthi attacks in 2022, traffic through the strait declined, leading shipping firms to divert vessels.