Houthis seize Greater and Lesser Hanish islands in Bab al-Mandab

A Yemeni military official confirmed that Iran-backed Houthi forces seized the Greater and Lesser Hanish islands, the last remaining islands controlling the Bab al-Mandab shipping corridor, hours before Houthi forces also took Perim Island.

Why this matters. Control of both Hanish and Perim islands gives the Houthis the ability to physically dominate all approaches to the Bab al-Mandab Strait, letting them selectively stop or tax the roughly 10% of global seaborne trade that transits the corridor.