Houthi forces seized Yemen’s Red Sea coast including Mocha, Perim Island, and the Hanish islands in September 2026, positioning them to monitor and target traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. This followed their July maritime embargo on Saudi-linked vessels and renewed missile and drone strikes on commercial shipping. No government or international body has declared the strait formally closed, yet tanker and overall transits have fallen sharply, with many operators rerouting around the Cape of Good Hope. Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces launched a counteroffensive in early October claiming gains near Dhubab and control of key positions, though Houthis dispute these advances and independent verification remains limited. Ongoing regional tensions, including disruptions at the Strait of Hormuz, continue to shape shipping risk assessments and insurance costs.