Houthis seize key Yemen port and island, gaining Red Sea strait control

Houthi forces captured the strategic port city of Mocha and the island of Perim in a rapid 36-hour offensive, gaining control of the Bab al-Mandeb strait, a critical shipping lane connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. The advance, which began on Thursday, has triggered intense fighting, a humanitarian crisis, and a blame game over the failure of Saudi and US-backed forces to prevent the takeover. The United States provided over 100 military advisers to Saudi Arabia for intelligence and targeting support but did not provide direct air cover during the Houthi offensive. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke twice with US President Donald Trump, urging US strikes against the Houthis, which Trump declined. The White House stated Washington was focused on protecting core national security interests, including freedom of navigation, while enabling regional partners to take the lead. The rapid collapse has prompted recriminations. A regional source described the failure as a complete breakdown of political leadership, while analyst Mohammed al-Basha pointed to internal divisions and poor command within Yemeni government forces.