Yemen’s Houthi militants have seized the Greater and Lesser Hanish islands in the southern Red Sea, according to government and Houthi officials who spoke to the Associated Press [1]. The seizure tightens the Iran-backed group’s grip around the Bab al-Mandab shipping route, a chokepoint that connects the Red Sea to the open ocean and Saudi Arabia’s key Asian markets.
The capture of the Hanish islands follows a rapid Houthi advance across Yemen’s western coast that began on September 3, according to Middle East Eye [2]. Houthi forces captured the port city of Mokha and Perim Island, also known as Mayyun Island, in the Bab al-Mandab Strait before moving on to the Hanish islands, the report stated [3][4]. The Associated Press reported that the seizure came as Saudi-backed government forces were trying to regroup and respond to the Houthis’ fast-paced advances [1].
Read Full Article: https://www.naturalnews.com/2026-09-16-houthis-seize-red-sea-islands-oil-supply-risks.html
