Houthis Seize Perim Island and Dhubab, Completing Control of Bab al-Mandeb Strait as Saudi Pipeline Shut Down

Yemen's Houthis captured Perim Island and the mainland Red Sea coastal town of Dhubab on Friday September 11, completing their seizure of the entire Yemeni Red Sea coastline and tightening control over the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, according to four Yemeni government sources cited by Reuters. Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces withdrew from Perim, also known as Mayyun Island, which sits at the center of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait and divides it into two shipping lanes. The Houthi advance follows their capture of the port city of Mocha on Thursday, with military spokesman Yahya Saree claiming the offensive expelled Saudi-backed forces from six districts covering 5,400 square kilometers and left hundreds killed, captured, or wounded. The Houthi push into Bab al-Mandeb delivers a strategic advantage to Iran in its broader confrontation with the United States, threatening a second major chokepoint after the Strait of Hormuz. The strait carries roughly 12 percent of global trade and has become Saudi Arabia's primary oil export route since Iran effectively closed Hormuz in February. Satellite imagery on Thursday showed black smoke rising near Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline, which Saudi Arabia confirmed on Friday had been struck by drones launched from Iraq. Riyadh shut down the pipeline as a precautionary measure, with the attack injuring several people. Iraq's prime minister dismissed the Maysan Operations Commander early Saturday after confirming the drones originated from Iraqi territory, likely launched by Iran-backed militias. Saudi Arabia said it would hold off on retaliation to give Baghdad time to prevent future attacks, but reserved the right to respond.