The Iranian-backed Houthis captured the island of Perim, also known as Mayun, at the entrance to the Red Sea on Friday, a Yemeni government official and Houthi spokesperson confirmed, according to the Associated Press.
Perim sits in the middle of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, which has become a crucial alternate shipping route due to ongoing attacks by Iran on ships traversing the Strait of Hormuz. That means the Iranian regime and its allies have a tighter grip on international shipping routes.
A Houthi spokesperson stated that “maritime navigation is safe for all companies, except for Saudi vessels.”
Riyadh responded by striking an airport in Yemen’s port city of Mokha, according to a Houthi broadcaster.
In response, Tehran called on Saudi Arabia to end its blockade and resume negotiations.
