Houthi Forces Seize Full Yemeni Red Sea Coastline

Forces of the Ansar Allah movement, known as the Houthis, have taken control of the entire western Yemeni coastline along the Red Sea, including the Hanish and Perim (Mayun) islands, according to maritime monitoring source The Sea In Arabic. The development gives the group expanded oversight of shipping lanes near the Bab al-Mandeb strait and increases its ability to rapidly close the passage should regional conflict escalate. Since the start of the Gaza war, dozens of vessels have been targeted from Yemeni territory using long-range missiles and unmanned boats. With the coastline now under Houthi control, commercial shipping routes pass increasingly close to militant-held territory. The distance between the standard shipping lane and the coast of Hanish island is now no more than 5 kilometers, while the gap narrows to around 3 kilometers off Perim island, sharply reducing the margin available for vessels to avoid potential attacks. The Bab al-Mandeb strait remains a critical chokepoint for global trade linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, and continued instability in the area has already prompted many shipping firms to reroute vessels around Africa, adding significant time and cost to voyages between Asia and Europe.