# Reported Houthi capture of southern Yemen port and Gulf of Aden island raises Bab el‑Mandeb risk

*Thursday, September 24, 2026 at 8:06 AM UTC — Hamer Intelligence Services Desk*

**Published**: 2026-09-24T08:06:46.951Z (2h ago)
**Category**: geopolitics | **Region**: Middle East
**Importance**: 8/10
**Sources**: OSINT
**Permalink**: https://hamerintel.com/data/articles/18711.md
**Source**: https://hamerintel.com/summaries

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**Deck**: A regional conflict channel reports that Houthis have seized a strategic port in southern Yemen and an island in the Gulf of Aden, a move that, if confirmed, would give the group new leverage over Saudi oil shipments through the Bab el‑Mandeb strait.

A claim that Houthi forces have taken control of a key port in southern Yemen and an island in the Gulf of Aden is sharpening concerns about the safety of Saudi oil exports through the Bab el‑Mandeb strait.

The seizure was reported by a regional conflict channel citing local sources. Governments involved have not confirmed the account.

According to the report, the port lies on Yemen’s southern coastline and the unnamed island sits in the Gulf of Aden, on the seaward side of the Bab el‑Mandeb chokepoint. All Saudi crude and product tankers leaving the Red Sea for global markets pass through this area.

If the claim proves accurate, Houthi control of both a land facility and a nearby island would extend their reach beyond their northern and Red Sea strongholds into territory that directly affects the main route for Saudi exports. It would give the group more options for staging drone or missile launches, small‑boat attacks, or other pressure on shipping.

For crews on Saudi‑linked tankers and the companies and insurers behind them, this would mean an expanded zone of potential threat. Vessels already operating with heightened caution in the Red Sea could face added risks in the Gulf of Aden, complicating route planning and pushing up the cost of security measures such as guards or naval escorts.

For Riyadh, the reported development would cut into its strategy of diversifying export routes while still relying heavily on Bab el‑Mandeb for seaborne shipments to Europe and parts of Asia. Any new Houthi claim over territory that can influence that passage would be read as a bid for leverage in both the Yemen conflict and wider regional politics.

Global markets don’t need to see a complete closure of Bab el‑Mandeb to react. A credible increase in the risk of attacks or delays can be enough to trigger higher insurance premiums and, in some cases, diversions around the Cape of Good Hope, adding time and cost to deliveries.

Houthis have previously been blamed for attacks on ships in the Red Sea using missiles and drones. Each new report of expanded control near key sea lanes adds to the perception that vital maritime corridors are contested spaces.

The next concrete signals will come from how Saudi Arabia and its partners respond. Public confirmation or denial from Riyadh, visible redeployment of coalition naval assets toward the Gulf of Aden, or new guidance to shipping from maritime authorities would indicate how seriously states judge the reported Houthi move and whether they see a lasting shift in control on the ground and at sea.