# [WARNING] Reports: Houthis Claim Access to UAE Mayyun Base at Bab el‑Mandeb, Jolting Shippers *Monday, September 28, 2026 at 6:10 PM UTC — Hamer Intelligence Services Desk* **Detected**: 2026-09-28T18:10:38.496Z (1h ago) **Tags**: Yemen, SaudiArabia, UAE, Houthis, RedSea, BabElMandeb, MaritimeSecurity, Oil **Sources**: OSINT **Permalink**: https://hamerintel.com/data/alerts/24401.md **Source**: https://hamerintel.com/summaries --- **Summary**: Houthi media say their journalists have entered and filmed inside the UAE‑built air base on Yemen’s Mayyun Island, in the middle of the Bab el‑Mandeb chokepoint. If the base has indeed been abandoned or lost by UAE‑backed forces, effective control over a critical node of Red Sea traffic is shifting, forcing Gulf states, insurers and cargo owners to rethink how secure this corridor really is. ## Detail Houthi outlet Al‑Masirah has published footage it says shows its journalists moving unopposed inside the Emirati‑built air base on Mayyun (Perim) Island, dated shortly before 18:00 UTC on 28 September. The island sits in the narrowest section of the Bab el‑Mandeb, the strait that funnels tankers and container vessels between the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea. The claim suggests that UAE‑aligned or Saudi‑backed forces have at minimum vacated the installation and at worst ceded de facto control of a strategically vital node to an Iran‑aligned movement. CONFIRMED DETAILS: The report at 18:00:20 UTC describes Houthi Al‑Masirah “showing the interior” of the Mayyun air base, formerly built and controlled by the UAE and the Riyadh‑backed Yemeni government. No fighting, airstrikes, or casualties are reported; the narrative is one of uncontested access. There is no immediate corroboration yet from Emirati, Saudi or Western military sources, and no satellite imagery has been cited in open channels in this time window. However, the Houthis have a track record of information operations tied to real territorial shifts. Source confidence is medium: the event is plausibly current and consistent with the recent erosion of coalition presence on some Red Sea islands, but independent verification is pending. HUMAN AND INDUSTRY STAKES: For crews and shipowners, Mayyun Island is effectively the sentry box of Bab el‑Mandeb. Its runway and sensors can track, threaten, or protect any vessel passing one of the world’s busiest sea lanes for oil, gas, and containerized goods linking Asia and Europe. If the base is indeed under Houthi influence or no longer effectively garrisoned by a friendly force, commercial ships may face increased surveillance and potential targeting, raising insurance costs and pushing risk‑averse operators to consider rerouting or tightening security protocols. Coastal populations in Yemen and Djibouti also stand to be squeezed if new blockades or tit‑for‑tat strikes disrupt coastal trade and humanitarian relief. MILITARY / SECURITY IMPLICATIONS: Control—or even denial—of Mayyun undermines the coalition’s layered defense of Bab el‑Mandeb. The Houthis have already demonstrated reach against shipping with anti‑ship missiles, drones and waterborne IEDs. Physical access to an island base could allow them to forward‑deploy reconnaissance assets, electronic surveillance, or even launch platforms closer to the main shipping channel. Even if they do not maintain a permanent garrison, the mere perception that coalition forces can no longer securely hold the island degrades deterrence and emboldens Tehran’s regional axis, from Yemen to the Red Sea. For Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and global navies, the operational cost of securing the strait rises if they must compensate with more patrols and at‑sea basing. MARKET AND ECONOMIC PRESSURE: The Bab el‑Mandeb handles a significant share of Europe’s crude and petroleum product imports, LNG flows, and container trade. Traders will quickly test whether this is an information operation or a durable change in control. Even absent kinetic attacks, heightened perceived risk typically widens war‑risk premia and day rates for tankers transiting the Red Sea. In the current environment of Iran sanctions maneuvering and a fragile global shipping balance, any hint that a key chokepoint is more exposed can nudge Brent and diesel prices higher and support freight indices. Regional equities—particularly Gulf shipping, ports, and insurance—are exposed to sentiment swings. WHAT TO WATCH NEXT (24–48 HOURS): 1) Official statements or denials from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and the internationally recognized Yemeni government on the status of Mayyun and any planned countermeasures. 2) Satellite imagery or additional OSINT confirming whether coalition aircraft or ships are operating from or near the island. 3) Changes in commercial traffic patterns or reported insurance adjustments for Bab el‑Mandeb transits. 4) Any follow‑on Houthi messaging hinting at new rules for shipping, explicit threats, or claimed missile/drone deployments tied to the island. 5) Western or Egyptian naval movements that would indicate an emergency reinforcement of Red Sea chokepoint security. If this turns into a stable shift in control rather than a transient propaganda event, markets and governments will need to treat Bab el‑Mandeb as a higher‑risk corridor with structurally elevated security costs. **MARKET IMPACT ASSESSMENT:** Raises geopolitical risk premium on Red Sea–linked shipping and insurance; marginally bullish for oil, fuels, and freight as traders reassess security of the Bab el‑Mandeb route, particularly in context of ongoing Iran-related sanctions and Yemen conflict dynamics.