Houthis Seize Red Sea Island as Saudis Shut Pipeline

Houthi forces backed by Iran have taken Perim, an island positioned in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at the southern entrance to the Red Sea, according to reports from the AP and the BBC. The island sits along one of the world's busiest maritime corridors, and its capture gives the group greater control over vessels moving through the strait. The AP reported that the takeover poses a risk to Saudi crude shipments that transit the lane.

In a separate but related development, Saudi Arabia halted operations on its East-West crude pipeline after the line was hit by multiple drones launched from Iraqi territory, CNBC reported. That pipeline carries Saudi oil across the country to the Red Sea coast, allowing exports to avoid the Strait of Hormuz. CNBC reported the shutdown came amid intensifying Houthi attacks.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has pressed President Trump to launch military strikes against the Houthis in response. The BBC reported that the group is describing its gains in Yemen as a significant advance.

The context

The Houthis, a Yemeni rebel movement supported by Iran, have been contesting territory in Yemen and have increasingly targeted maritime traffic and Saudi infrastructure. The Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which separates Yemen from the Horn of Africa, funnels commercial shipping between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, making Perim's location commercially and militarily significant.

Saudi Arabia built the East-West pipeline specifically as an alternative export route: it moves crude overland so tankers can load on the Red Sea side rather than passing through the Strait of Hormuz. With that pipeline now offline and the Bab el-Mandeb under greater Houthi influence, both of the kingdom's main export pathways face pressure at once. The material does not specify when the island fell or the extent of damage to the pipeline.

Why it matters

The two events squeeze Saudi oil exports from opposite directions. The pipeline shutdown removes the kingdom's Hormuz bypass, while Houthi control of Perim raises risks for tankers using the Red Sea route instead. According to the story's editors, the disruption is already contributing to record U.S. fuel prices. The crown prince's request for American strikes also raises the possibility of direct U.S. military involvement against the Houthis, widening a conflict that already draws in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Iraq.

What’s next

Key open questions include whether President Trump acts on Mohammed bin Salman's request for strikes against the Houthis, how long the East-West pipeline stays closed, and whether the group moves to interfere with shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb. No timeline for restoring pipeline operations has been reported, and responses from Washington and Tehran remain to be seen. Watch oil markets and shipping traffic through the strait for early signs of disruption.