Naval and Coastal Crisis Escalates as Houthis Seize Strategic Red Sea Gateway and Bab al-Mandeb Islands

In a major military offensive, Houthi forces have seized complete control over Yemen's western coast, including the crucial port city of Mokha, the town of Dhubab, and strategic maritime islands within the Bab al-Mandeb Strait such as Perim (Mayyun), Greater Hanish, and Lesser Hanish. The collapse of Yemeni government defenses along the Tihamah coast occurred despite multi-front counter-offensives launched by the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) in Al-Jawf and Marib governorates, as well as a heavy barrage of around 40 retaliatory Saudi airstrikes following Houthi drone and missile strikes on southern Saudi energy facilities. The sudden surge in ground combat and heavy aerial bombardment has triggered a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. Over 500 combatants and civilians have been killed, while the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and UN agencies report that mass civilian displacement has alarmingly surpassed 46,000 people. With basic public healthcare infrastructure facing immediate threat of collapse, vulnerable displaced populations remain severely exposed to acute supply shortages and disease outbreaks.