Houthi forces expanded control over Yemen’s Red Sea coastline and key islands including Perim in September 2026, enabling a declared maritime embargo and missile strikes focused on Saudi-linked vessels since late July. This has cut tanker and cargo transits through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait by roughly 25-60% from prior baselines, prompting many operators to reroute around the Cape of Good Hope while others continue selective passages. No international body has formally closed the waterway, and traffic persists at reduced levels. A Saudi-backed Yemeni government counteroffensive in early October claims territorial gains near Dhubab, though independent verification remains limited and Houthi denial persists. These developments sustain elevated insurance costs and supply-chain pressure without achieving a complete shutdown.