Conflict & Security
Houthis say Bab al-Mandab navigation remains safe
The Houthis said Friday there was “no cause for concern” for free navigation through the Bab al-Mandab Strait after their advance around the Red Sea shipping route.
Yemen's Houthis seized Mayyun Island in the Red Sea on Friday, completing their takeover of the Bab al-Mandab Strait area, a local government official and eyewitnesses told AFP.
The official said boats carrying armed Houthi fighters reached the island after government forces withdrew from it on Thursday. Mayyun, also known as Perim, lies in the middle of the strait and divides it into shipping lanes.
Government military sources told AFP that Houthi forces had besieged government troops on the Hanish islands. They said they were unsure of the status of the troops, who number more than 2,000, but believed the Houthis had ordered them to surrender.
A senior military official said the besieged forces had appealed to authorities for rescue, food, water and the lifting of the siege, which he said would require air support.
An eyewitness said gunmen were deploying along the Bab al-Mandab shore and driving around in military vehicles. The local government official said the number of fighters on Mayyun was not large and that they would probably deploy on hills overlooking the waterway.
The Houthis seized Zuqar Island on Thursday. The waterway also includes Mayyun and the two Hanish islands.
The Iran-backed Houthis launched a large-scale offensive last week against Yemeni government forces backed by Saudi Arabia. The fighting has left more than 500 people dead, mostly combatants, according to an AFP tally compiled from several sources. The International Organization for Migration said Tuesday that nearly 20,000 people had fled their homes.
Saudi Arabia has responded with dozens of airstrikes. Houthi media reported on Friday that two latest strikes hit Mocha airport.
Bab al-Mandab links Asia to Europe through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. Its importance has grown during the wider Middle East war, after Iran blockaded the Strait of Hormuz. Brent North Sea crude and the US WTI oil contract were both above $100 on Friday.
Update
The Houthis said there was “no cause for concern” for free navigation through the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
Source note: AFP news report published on 11 September 2026 at 11:15:18 UTC.
Update
A local government official said the number of Houthi fighters on Mayyun Island was not large and that they would probably deploy on hills overlooking Bab al-Mandab.
Government military sources said Houthi forces had besieged more than 2,000 government troops on the Hanish islands.
The sources said they were unsure of the troops' status but believed the Houthis had ordered them to surrender.
A senior military official said the besieged forces had appealed for rescue, food, water and air support to lift the siege.
Source note: AFP news report published on 11 September 2026 at 10:16:50 UTC.
Update
Houthi media reported two Saudi airstrikes hitting Mocha airport on Friday.
Both Brent and WTI oil contracts were above $100 on Friday, according to the item.
A Chatham House research fellow said Saudi Arabia may feel it has no more choice as the Houthi advance continues.
The United Nations Security Council met Thursday to discuss Yemen, and UN envoy Hans Grundberg urged efforts to contain the conflict.
The United Kingdom called on the Security Council to send a message that the Houthis must de-escalate and return to a path toward peace.
The item adds accounts from people fleeing Mocha and reports of looting during flight.
Source note: AFP news report published on 11 September 2026 at 09:21:01 UTC.
Update
A local government official said boats carrying armed Houthi fighters reached Mayyun Island after government forces withdrew on September 10.
Mayyun Island is also known as Perim and divides the Bab al-Mandab Strait into two shipping lanes.
An eyewitness said gunmen were deploying along the Bab al-Mandab shore and driving military vehicles.
Source note: AFP news report published on 11 September 2026 at 08:07:55 UTC.
Update
A local official told AFP that the Houthis seized a key Red Sea island and completed their takeover of the Bab al-Mandab area.
Source note: AFP news report published on 11 September 2026 at 07:46:07 UTC.
Update
The UN Security Council met on September 10 to discuss the Yemen conflict with UN envoy Hans Grundberg.
Grundberg urged Security Council members to help contain what he warned could become a more dangerous conflict.
The United Kingdom brought together the emergency meeting and called for a message that the Houthis must de-escalate, stop attacks and return to peace efforts.
The item added detail that the renewed hostilities began in July after the Houthis allowed an Iranian plane to land despite Saudi control of Yemeni airspace, followed by a government strike on Sanaa airport that the Houthis blamed on Saudi Arabia.
Source note: AFP news report published on 10 September 2026 at 20:49:48 UTC.
Update
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said Saudi Arabia launched 64 strikes on Yemen over the previous 24 hours.
Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV reported 10 strikes on Taiz province.
Rashad al-Alimi said protecting Yemen's coasts and restoring state control of them was an Arab and international interest.
Source note: AFP news report published on 10 September 2026 at 16:53:11 UTC.
Update
Tarek Saleh said he had moved his command centre to a safe location to regroup.
The source says the Houthi advance in Mocha, Khokha and Hays drove many people to flee to Aden.
WTI crude surpassed $100 on Thursday after Brent had already crossed that level on Wednesday.
A security expert said control of the coast would strengthen Houthi maritime coercion.
Witnesses described people fleeing Mocha and one person said some families were looted by gangs as they tried to leave.
Source note: AFP news report published on 10 September 2026 at 13:58:06 UTC.
Update
Witnesses told AFP they saw Houthi forces entering Mokha on Thursday.
A Yemeni military source said the Houthis were advancing toward Bab al-Mandab after taking Mokha.
The same military source said the Houthis also seized Zuqar Island after rocket attacks and a ground assault using boats.
Houthi news agency Saba said Saudi aircraft conducted around 40 strikes in recent hours in Taiz, Hodeida, Al-Jawf and Marib.
Source note: AFP news report published on 10 September 2026 at 11:24:48 UTC.
Update
A Yemen military source said the Houthis had taken control of Mokha on the Red Sea.
Source note: AFP news report published on 10 September 2026 at 08:44:38 UTC.
Update
The Saudi-led coalition said the Houthis launched several ballistic missiles and drones toward Khamis Mushait, Abha and Jizan, without mentioning casualties from those attacks.
The source says oil prices returned to $100 a barrel as the wider Middle East war affected the region and the world economy.
Source note: AFP news report published on 9 September 2026 at 19:06:57 UTC.
Update
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said Saudi aircraft carried out 54 airstrikes in 12 hours on Al-Jawf, Marib, Taiz, Hodeida and Saada.
Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV said the reported death toll from Saudi strikes on a prison days earlier had risen to 32, with seven injured.
Saudi civil defence issued and then lifted warnings twice for Khamis Mushait and once for Abha city.
The Institute for the Study of War said Hodeida could be the ultimate objective of Saudi-backed forces.
Oil prices returned to $100 a barrel on Wednesday, according to the source item.
Source note: AFP news report published on 9 September 2026 at 16:15:51 UTC.
Update
The International Organization for Migration said nearly 20,000 people had fled the fighting.
A displaced person near Khokha said attacks were continuing and some people remained trapped.
The Houthi-run Almasirah TV said Saudi airstrikes targeted Marib, Al-Jawf, Taiz and Hodeida on Wednesday.
Saudi civil defence issued and then quickly lifted a warning for Khamis Mushait, near Yemen.
Source note: AFP news report published on 9 September 2026 at 13:25:30 UTC.
Update
The Houthis now reported more than 40 Saudi attacks, up from the earlier 32 reported strikes.
The Houthi-run Almasirah TV said strikes hit Marib, Al-Jawf, Taiz and Hodeida over the past few hours.
Saudi civil defence issued and quickly lifted a warning for Khamis Mushait.
The European Union urged the Houthis to end attacks inside and outside Yemen, including against Red Sea commercial shipping.
Source note: AFP news report published on 9 September 2026 at 09:51:19 UTC.
Update
The Houthi-run Almasirah television said Saudi aircraft launched 32 airstrikes over the past few hours.
Almasirah said the reported strikes hit areas in Marib, Al-Jawf, Taiz and Hodeida governorates.
Source note: AFP news report published on 9 September 2026 at 05:20:42 UTC.
Update
Houthis said Saudi Arabia retaliated with strikes on Taiz and Marib provinces on Tuesday.
Saudi authorities said overnight Houthi attacks injured 73 people and caused temporary shutdowns at oil sites.
An AFP tally based on sources from both camps put deaths since Thursday at more than 500, including at least 216 government forces, 278 Houthi fighters and 29 civilians.
Saudi civil defence briefly warned of potential danger in three border areas before lifting the alerts.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said diplomacy remained open but Saudi Arabia was ready to defend itself.
Source note: AFP news report published on 8 September 2026 at 19:13:35 UTC.
Update
Saudi Arabia did not immediately comment on Ansarollah's report.
Days of fighting near the Red Sea coast have left more than 300 people dead and displaced hundreds of families.
Almasirah quoted a Jawf civil defence official saying Monday's prison strike killed 11 people and left 20 inmates missing under rubble.
Source note: AFP news report published on 8 September 2026 at 01:40:27 UTC.
Update
Houthi media Ansarollah said drones and missiles were used.
Ansarollah said the strikes hit Abha International Airport, King Khalid air base and Aramco facilities in Abha and Jizan.
Source note: AFP news report published on 8 September 2026 at 01:12:54 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
Government military sources said they were unsure of the status of more than 2,000 government troops on the Hanish islands.
The source item did not identify which Houthi official or body made the navigation statement.
Source
AFP news report published on .