Yemeni pro-government forces withdrew from Perim Island, also known as Mayyun, on Friday, with witnesses and news agencies reporting that Houthi forces subsequently occupied the strategic location. The Iran-backed Houthi group later issued a statement claiming a "success" in their military operation to expel Saudi-backed forces and asserting that "maritime navigation is safe for all companies except for Saudi vessels."
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea stated that a "large-scale" operation commenced on September 3, citing Saudi Arabia's "blatant aggression" against the Yemeni people. Sarea also claimed that Houthi forces had expelled "Saudi enemy" troops from six districts in the Taiz and Hodeidah regions, with hundreds of soldiers reportedly killed, wounded, or captured. However, the Houthi statement did not explicitly mention the seizure of Perim Island.
Perim Island is situated at the narrowest point of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a critical waterway that has gained significance as the Strait of Hormuz faces effective closure due to the conflict between the United States and Iran. Saudi Arabia has utilized the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait for oil shipments to Asian markets.
Escalation and Displacement
The ongoing conflict between the Houthis, the Yemeni government, and Saudi Arabia has contributed to a rise in oil prices. Since the Houthis launched an offensive in the southwest a week prior, hundreds of people have been reported killed and thousands displaced. The Saudi-led coalition has conducted airstrikes on Houthi-controlled areas in western Yemen to support government forces, while the Houthis have launched missile and drone attacks targeting cities and oil facilities in southern Saudi Arabia.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), at least 46,000 people have been displaced in Yemen since the fighting escalated. The IOM director general, Amy Pope, stated on Friday that the number was "alarmingly rising by the hour," adding that "Families are being forced to flee for the second or third time in this conflict, with almost nothing left."
The Houthis overthrew the internationally recognized government in 2015, prompting military intervention by Saudi Arabia. The group currently controls a significant portion of Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa. A truce that had largely held for over four years effectively collapsed in July.