In July 2026 Houthi leaders announced a blockade on ships near Bab el-Mandeb Strait that originated from or passed through ports in Saudi Arabia. In September Houthi forces captured the port town of Mokha as well as Perim (Mayun) Island, giving the Houthi movement direct control over the Yemeni side of the strait for the first time.
The move comes after a breakdown in a ceasefire in the 2026 Iran war and the resumption of a U.S. blockade on ships near the Strait of Hormuz that originated from or passed through Iranian ports. The Houthi movement is closely aligned to Iran as a member of the Axis of Resistance and had previously sent missiles and drones toward Israel during the war. Since 2015 it has been in conflict with Saudi Arabia, making Saudi ships targets that Houthi forces can attack without necessarily provoking a major new escalation.