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Houthi fighters seized the strategic Perim Island in the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the city of Dhubab in the western Taiz province on Friday, a Yemeni government military source told Anadolu Reports.
The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Houthis had taken control of the island, known in Arabic as Mayyun.
The takeover means the group has completed its control of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the source added.
Neither the Houthis nor the Yemeni government had officially commented on the reported takeover as of 1030GMT.
Perim Island holds exceptional strategic importance because of its location in the middle of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, where it divides the waterway into two channels.
The takeover is likely to heighten regional and international concerns over maritime security and the movement of commercial vessels and energy tankers through Bab al-Mandab.
READ: Houthi official warns Turkey and Pakistan against intervention on Saudi Arabia’s side
In the same context, the source said the Houthis had seized Dhubab in Taiz province, prompting Yemeni government forces to withdraw to the southwestern province of Lahij.
Dhubab is a coastal city overlooking the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and its capture strengthens Houthi control over the strategic waterway.
The strait connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and is one of the world’s most important routes for international trade and energy shipments.
The Houthis seized the entire western province of Al-Hudaydah after entering Hays and Al-Khawkhah. They also advanced through the western Taiz province and captured Red Sea coastal cities, including Mokha, extending their reach to the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
Government forces, meanwhile, made advances in the northern Al-Jawf province and moved closer to Al-Hazm, the provincial capital, while clashes continued on fronts in Marib, Al-Bayda and Al-Dhale provinces.
Yemen has been engulfed in conflict since the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa and several provinces in September 2014. A Saudi-led Arab coalition intervened in March 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government.
READ: Houthis seize Mokha as Yemen’s presidential council calls for international action
This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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