Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis seized control of Mayyun Island, also known as Perim, in the Bab el-Mandeb strait on Friday; Government forces withdrew, allowing Houthi fighters to take over the rocky volcanic island, which divides the strait into two shipping lanes. According to Euronews.com, this completes the group’s control of the area, putting about a third of global seaborne trade under their reach alongside Iran’s Hormuz blockade.

Houthi Expansion Along Red Sea Coast

Within 18 hours of the island’s capture, the Houthis also took control of the towns of Dhubab and Murad, a local official said, as this means the entire Red Sea coast of Yemen is now under Houthi control. Eyewitnesses reported Houthi gunmen deploying along the strait’s shore and using military vehicles. Government sources expressed uncertainty about the fate of over 2,000 soldiers stationed on the Hanish islands, which the Houthis are now reportedly besieging. Earlier, the group had already captured the larger Zuqar island further north.

U.S. Response and Nuclear Threat

On July 21, U.S. President Donald Trump warned that the U.S. would respond if the Houthis executed a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia. According to a South Korean report, Trump also hinted at an imminent and powerful strike on an underground Iranian nuclear facility at a site called Pickaxe Mountain. This came after reports that Saudi crude oil tankers had begun altering their routes, disrupting both the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea route. The shift in shipping routes has created a dual disruption of global energy and trade flows.

Potential Toll on Shipping and Geopolitical Implications

Separately, the Houthis are reportedly considering imposing tolls on Red Sea shipping as a new strategy. This move follows their declaration of a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia. According to a South Korean report, Houthi officials recently traveled to Tehran for the funeral of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, where they discussed tolls on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait with Iranian officials. While a timeline for implementation has not been set, Iran plans to send an advisory team to help the Houthis establish an administrative body for collecting the fees. Chinese vessels, however, will be exempt from the tolls under an agreement reached with the Houthis.