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Houthis Seize Perim as Saudi Strike Requests Face Trump Rebuff
The Houthis, an armed group in Yemen, captured or moved into important places beside a major sea route.
One of those places is Perim, an island near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
This strait is important because ships use it to move between the Red Sea and the wider ocean.
The fighting could make shipping and energy supplies more difficult.
Saudi-backed Yemeni forces said they want to take the captured areas back.
Saudi Arabia reportedly asked the United States to attack the Houthis.
Donald Trump reportedly said the United States would not directly strike them for now.
Iran is accused by sources of helping the Houthis, but Iran denies directing them.
Some reports about the battlefield and possible shipping talks have not been independently verified.
Four Yemeni government sources said the Houthis reached Perim island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on Friday.
Earlier sources said Saudi-backed government forces withdrew from Perim and that Houthis captured Dhubab and Mocha.
Al Jazeera reported that the Houthis had taken the entire Yemeni Red Sea coastline, though Reuters did not independently verify every claim.
Saudi-backed Yemeni forces said they would deploy weapons and aircraft in a counteroffensive against Houthi gains.
Axios reported that Mohammed bin Salman asked Donald Trump twice to strike the Houthis, but Trump rejected the request.
- Who
- Iran-aligned Houthis, Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the United States are involved or mentioned.
- What
- The Houthis advanced along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, reportedly reaching Perim and capturing several strategic areas, while Saudi Arabia sought U.S. strikes that Donald Trump rejected.
- Where
- Perim and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, Dhubab, Mocha, Hanish, and other areas along Yemen’s Red Sea coast.
- When
- The latest reported advance occurred on Friday, following captures and fighting earlier in the week; the reports and images are dated September 2026.
- Why
- The Houthis appear to be seeking control of Yemen’s coastline, while sources say Iran wants to open a new front against the United States; Saudi Arabia is concerned about the threat to shipping and regional security.
Arguments for stronger military action
Arguments against direct intervention
Responding to Houthi advances
Arguments for stronger military action
Saudi Arabia and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government see the Houthi gains along the Red Sea coast as a serious threat and have sought stronger military action, including U.S. strikes.
Arguments against direct intervention
The Trump administration rejected the reported request for direct U.S. strikes and is seeking to support Saudi Arabia while avoiding direct military involvement.
Iran’s role
Arguments for stronger military action
Yemeni government, Iranian, and regional sources said Iran’s Revolutionary Guards guided the offensive and that Iran promised the Houthis more funding, weapons, and senior officers.
Arguments against direct intervention
Iran says that although it considers the Houthis an ally, it does not direct them and that they are not an Iranian proxy.
Managing shipping risks
Arguments for stronger military action
Supporters of military pressure could argue that controlling the Bab el-Mandeb threatens a vital shipping corridor and could further disrupt energy markets.
Arguments against direct intervention
Diplomatic efforts were reportedly being pursued by Oman, Iran, and Gulf states to reach a temporary arrangement for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, although Reuters could not verify the report.
Key facts
- Strategic location
- Perim lies in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a major Red Sea shipping route.
- Reported Houthi gains
- Sources reported Houthi control or presence in Perim, Dhubab, Mocha, and the Hanish islands.
- Government response
- Saudi-backed Yemeni forces said they would use weapons and aircraft in a counteroffensive.
- Saudi request
- Axios reported that Mohammed bin Salman asked Donald Trump twice to launch strikes against the Houthis.
- U.S. position
- U.S. officials reportedly said the administration does not currently intend to take direct military action against the Houthis.
- Iran’s stated position
- Iran publicly denies directing the Houthis and says the group is not a proxy.
- Oil-market concern
- Global oil prices were on track to finish above $100 per barrel for the first time since mid-May.
Sources
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