Houthis Complete Capture of Yemen's Red Sea Coast, Seizing Mayyun Island and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait

Houthi forces capture the port city of Mocha on Sep 10 and Mayyun (Perim) Island — along with the Greater and Lesser Hanish islands — on Sep 11, giving them effective control of both channels of the Bab al-Mandeb strait, a chokepoint carrying roughly 12% of global trade including 11% of maritime oil shipments. Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree vows a "siege for siege, escalation for escalation" posture against Saudi Arabia. The seizure opens a new front beyond the Sep 8 missile-and-drone barrage, giving Iran-aligned Houthi forces fresh leverage over Red Sea shipping at the same time the Mecca pact's signatories are still calibrating a joint response, with maritime analysts warning of a possible resurgence of Somali-coast piracy as vessels reroute.