Houthi forces have reportedly seized the strategic port city of Mokha and Perim Island, giving the Iran-backed group greater control over key positions near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, one of the world's most important maritime trade routes.

Yemeni government sources said Houthi fighters captured Perim Island, also known as Mayyun, after government forces withdrew from the strategically located territory. The Houthis have also reportedly taken control of Dhubab, a coastal town south of Mokha and close to the narrowest section of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Mokha, situated about 80 kilometers north of the strait along Yemen's Red Sea coast, has long held strategic importance because of its location along major maritime routes. Perim Island, meanwhile, sits directly inside the Bab el-Mandeb, giving whoever controls it a potentially significant position overlooking shipping traffic between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

The developments have raised fresh concerns about the security of international shipping through the Red Sea, particularly as global maritime trade continues to face disruptions elsewhere in the region.

Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdulsalam said that navigation and international trade through the Red Sea and the strait remained safe, while claiming that the group's military operations were restricted to specific targets.

The Houthis have previously attacked commercial vessels in the Red Sea, saying their actions were intended to show solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

Meanwhile, Houthi media reported that Saudi Arabia had carried out several airstrikes in Yemen's western Taiz province. The claims could not immediately be independently verified.

The latest fighting marks a significant escalation in Yemen's long-running conflict. Hostilities between the Houthis and Yemen's internationally recognized government have intensified in recent months after a period of relative calm that followed a UN-brokered truce in 2022.

The Houthis currently control Sanaa, Yemen's capital, along with large parts of the country's north and west. The internationally recognized government is based in Aden and has received substantial backing from Saudi Arabia.

The seizure of Mokha and the strategic locations around Bab el-Mandeb could further complicate efforts to stabilize Yemen and increase concerns over the security of one of the world's most important maritime corridors.

Yemen's civil war has killed more than 150,000 people and left millions facing severe humanitarian needs, including the threat of hunger and famine.