Houthis Reach Strategic Perim Island, Tightening Grip on Vital Red Sea Shipping Route
ADEN/DUBAI, 12 September 2026 (Kamran Raja): Iran-aligned Houthi forces have reached the strategic island of Perim in Yemen’s Bab el-Mandeb Strait, four Yemeni government sources told Reuters on Friday, in a move that could further strengthen their position along one of the world’s most important shipping routes. Two sources from Yemen’s Saudi-backed, internationally recognised government said their forces had withdrawn from Perim, while the Houthis had also taken control of the mainland Red Sea coastal town of Dhubab, which faces the island. The development could have significant implications for global trade and energy supplies, as control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait would provide Iran and its Houthi allies with greater leverage over a major maritime corridor connecting the Red Sea with ...
