Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have captured the strategic Mayun Island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, opening a new front in the regional conflict.

The seizure follows the Houthis’ capture of the nearby port city of Mokha and threatens one of the world’s most important shipping routes.

Saudi Arabia responded by launching an airstrike on Mokha’s airport as tensions between the Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni forces continue to escalate.

Shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb has already fallen by about 60% since Houthi attacks began in 2023, raising concerns about further disruptions to global trade and Saudi oil exports, the AP has reported.

The escalation also threatens to collapse Yemen’s fragile ceasefire and could worsen the humanitarian crisis while giving Iran additional leverage in its broader conflict with the United States.