Houthis Seize Bab el-Mandeb Strait as Saudi Army Flees in Disarray

The capture of **Perim** island by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the **Bab el-Mandeb** strait on **September 11, 2026**, raises tensions in a crucial maritime route for global trade and energy supply.

## The Key to the Red Sea

The Houthis taking **Perim** island, right at the mouth of the **Bab el-Mandeb** strait, is a move that hits everyone's wallet. This is not a war anecdote; it's a direct blow to one of the arteries of global trade. Millions of barrels of oil pass through there every day, along with many other goods that reach us from Asia to Europe. Think of it as a smaller but equally important version of the **Strait of Hormuz**. If things get ugly, oil prices could spike, affecting us all, from the gasoline we put in our cars to the cost of the clothes we buy. **September 11, 2026**, marked a turning point.

The civil war in **Yemen**, which began in **2014** with the Houthis seizing the capital, has been escalating. **Saudi Arabia** intervened the trinc year to try to stop the rebels, who receive support from **Iran**. The result is a country in ruins, with the Houthis controlling the north and the government and its allies the south and east. The humanitarian situation is disastrous, with about **22 million people** in need of aid. The Red Sea has become a key stage in **Iran**'s struggle to pressure the global economy and extract concessions from **Washington**.

## Control of the Routes

The Houthi advance is no accident. It has been in preparation for some time. Last month, they intensified their offensive to take the port city of **Mocha**, which was held by forces backed by **Saudi Arabia**. There were rocket attacks on the port while goods were being unloaded. After this, the Houthis claimed to have captured it and there was talk of them advancing along the entire coast. News of these operations caused an uproar, especially because Saudi Crown Prince **Mohammed bin Salman** spoke several times with U.S. President **Donald Trump** to ask him to act against the Houthis. **Trump** did not agree to direct attacks.

The capture of **Perim** and **Mocha** by a group trained and supported by **Iran's Revolutionary Guard** gives them more power in the **Red Sea**. Experts say the Houthis are now in a position to control the area and defend against possible ground operations. An effective blockade of the strait by the Houthis could open a new front in the war with **Iran**, forcing the **United States** to intervene militarily and weakening its ability to maintain transit through **Hormuz**. It could also prevent **Saudi Arabia** from sending diesel to Europe at a delicate moment for the fuel market.

## Market Reaction

The impact on oil markets is immediate. They were already tense due to low traffic in **Hormuz**, and now this. On **September 10, 2026**, oil prices rose **4%**, with **Brent** reaching **$105**. The next day, they fell **3%** after it was learned that foreign ministers of Gulf Arab countries planned to meet with their Iranian counterpart. These events add more uncertainty to the global economy, which is already suffering the consequences of the war between **Iran** and the **United States**. Volatility in oil prices is a constant, and events like this only accentuate it.

Beyond the economic impact, these events threaten to worsen the humanitarian crisis in **Yemen**, already one of the worst in the world according to the **UN**. The question now is how the Saudi-led coalition will react. This is not the end of the battle; we will likely see more developments in the coming days.