Houthi rebels seize more Red Sea islands, tighten grip on Bab al-Mandeb
Houthi forces have captured additional islands and ports in the Red Sea, strengthening their control over the Bab al-Mandeb Strait and threatening global shipping and oil supplies.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels have made a rapid advance along the Red Sea coast, seizing several strategic islands and ports from Saudi-backed government forces. The gains give the Houthis effective control over the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, one of the world's most vital shipping lanes, and add to the pressure on global oil supplies already strained by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Over the past week, Houthi fighters have captured the port cities of Mokha and Dhubab, as well as the town of Hais, and have now forced government troops to withdraw from Perim Island, which sits in the middle of the Bab al-Mandeb. The advance has been aided by ballistic missiles and has met little effective resistance, despite Saudi air strikes in support of Yemeni government forces.
A Houthi spokesman said the group does not intend to block international shipping, but will target Saudi vessels in retaliation for restrictions on Houthi ports and airspace. The threat has particular significance for Saudi Arabia, which has been forced to export oil through the Red Sea since Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz. Satellite images suggest the Houthis may also have struck a Saudi oil pipeline, and Saudi authorities have now shut the east-west pipeline after a separate drone strike.
The rapid Houthi advance has drawn a muted response from Washington. US media report that Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince phoned President Trump twice on Thursday to urge American military intervention, but Trump declined. The Houthis are backed by Iran, which now has direct control over the Strait of Hormuz and indirect control over the Bab al-Mandeb through its allies. Analysts say this gives Tehran significant leverage in any negotiations with the West.
The Bab al-Mandeb is crucial not just for oil but for container shipping. About 15% of world trade normally passes through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. The Houthis appear intent on using their new position to extract economic and political concessions, with one fighter boasting that they no longer need missiles, only the right positions around the waterway.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC News | BBC One | Channel 4 | Sky News |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saudi energy operations were halted following Houthi drone and missile attacks. | ||||
| Yemeni government forces withdrew from an island at the Bab al-Mandeb strait and Houthi fighters moved onto it. | ||||
| Houthis captured the town of Hais, then Mokha and Dubab, and Yemeni government troops withdrew from Perim Island. | · | |||
| Houthis have taken control of port cities Mokha and Dhubab, as well as Perim Island. | · | · | ||
| Satellite images showed the impact of a Houthi attack on an oil pipeline in western Saudi Arabia. | · | · | ||
| Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince asked Trump twice to bomb Houthi positions, but Trump declined. | · | · | ||
| The Houthis said shipping through the strait would be safe except for ships linked to Saudi Arabia. | · | · | ||
| The Houthis threatened to target Saudi shipping in the Bab al-Mandeb in retaliation for restrictions. | · | · | ||
| Houthi forces captured the strategic port of Mokha from government forces. | · | · | · | |
| Saudi airstrikes have failed to slow the Houthi advance. | · | · | · | |
| Saudi Arabia has used the Red Sea route to export oil because of difficulties at the Strait of Hormuz. | · | · | · | |
| The Bab al-Mandab Strait is a vital shipping alternative to the Strait of Hormuz. | · | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
BBC News provided detailed on-the-ground reporting and analysis of the Houthi advance, focusing on the strategic significance of the Bab al-Mandeb and the diplomatic pressure on the US. It stressed the role of Iran and the leverage gained, while noting the lack of support for government forces from Saudi Arabia.
- “The fighting in Yemen has been relatively calm since 2022. Not complete peace, but relatively calm.”
- “it gives them that extra bargaining chip, that extra leverage that they can use in the negotiating table with the United States.”
- “The Bab al-Mandeb has become increasingly important for Saudi Arabia, because it's had to export its oil through this Red Sea route, after Iran blockaded the Strait of Hormuz.”
Channel 4 framed the story as a major economic threat, highlighting the percentage of global oil passing through the strait and the wider conflict between Iran and the US. It emphasised the Houthi spokesman's statement about only targeting Saudi vessels and speculated on the Houthis' long-term ambition to monetise the waterway.
- “Around 7% of global oil supplies normally pass through here.”
- “Two key straits, now effectively controlled by Iran and one of its allies.”
- “This had become a vital alternate route for Saudi oil after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz.”
BBC ONE West aired a similar detailed report to BBC News, focusing on the sequence of towns captured and the failure of Saudi airstrikes to halt the Houthi advance. It also noted the broader economic impact on global oil supplies and the pressure on the UK economy, though the latter was incidental.
- “Helped by ballistic missiles, the Houthis have been advancing on the ground with lightning speed.”
- “So worried are the Saudis. They're reported to have pressed Donald Trump, apparently unsuccessfully, to intervene.”
- “Yemeni government troops, who are backed by Saudi Arabia, have also pulled out of Perim Island,”
Sky News emphasised the global shipping consequences, particularly the closure of Saudi's east-west pipeline and the importance of the Red Sea for container shipping. It included expert analysis stressing that the Bab al-Mandeb is even more crucial than the Strait of Hormuz for world trade, and reported that additional islands had been captured.
- “The Iranian-backed Houthis have captured a key strategic island in the red sea after a lightning advance in Yemen”
- “Saudi Arabia has closed an important oil pipeline after a drone strike”
- “about 15% of the world's trade passes through the Red Sea ordinarily”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.