Houthis Capture Crucial Red Sea Island Off Yemen, Officials Say

Houthi forces took control of Perim Island in the Red Sea on January 15, 2026, according to statements from Yemeni government officials and regional analysts. The island sits at the entrance to the Bab al-Mandab strait, a shipping channel between Yemen and Djibouti through which approximately 12 percent of global maritime trade passes. Houthi spokesperson Mohammed al-Bukhaiti said the group's forces secured the island following a military operation. The strait remains a critical route for oil and cargo shipments between Europe, Asia, and the Suez Canal.

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