Houthis seize Perim Island, tightening grip on Bab al-Mandab strait

Yemen's Houthi fighters took control of Perim Island, a volcanic outcrop that bisects the Bab al-Mandab strait, after forces loyal to the UN-backed Aden government withdrew. The island sits at the narrowest point of the waterway that links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, a route used for about 12% of global trade.

Saudi Arabia, which backs the internationally recognised Yemeni government, responded with air raids on Houthi positions in the nearby port city of Mocha, which the Houthis also captured earlier in the week. On Friday, Saudi officials announced the formation of a 14-nation maritime coalition, including Bahrain, Pakistan, Somalia, Djibouti, Turkey and Egypt, to protect navigation in the strait and the Gulf of Aden.

Iran praised the Houthi advances in a statement, marking its first extended comment on the renewed fighting. The Houthis claimed to have expelled Saudi-backed troops from six districts, seized 4,500 square miles and inflicted casualties on Saudi forces.

The United Nations migration agency reported that the Houthi offensive has caused more than 500 deaths and displaced roughly 46,000 people.

Analysts noted that full Houthi control of the Bab al-Mandab, combined with Iran's influence over the Strait of Hormuz, could increase pressure on global energy shipments. Oil prices have risen above $100 a barrel amid the escalation.

The Southern Transitional Council, a separatist group active in southern Yemen, warned that occasional airstrikes are insufficient and called for a comprehensive regional strategy to counter the Houthis. It also criticized Saudi Arabia for failing to honor a promised dialogue on the southern question and for alienating southern forces that have previously helped contain the Houthi advance.