Yes. On September 11, 2026, Associated Press reported that Iran-backed Houthi rebels captured Mayun—also known as Perim—a small volcanic island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at the entrance of the Red Sea. A senior military official with Yemen’s internationally recognized government and a Houthi official both confirmed the takeover after government forces withdrew.
The island sits about 2 miles (3.5 kilometers) off Yemen’s west coast. The advance followed the Houthis’ seizure of the Red Sea port city of Mokha on September 10, and Saudi Arabia responded with airstrikes on Mokha’s airport. Control of Mayun deepens concerns about shipping through Bab el-Mandeb, a key alternative corridor while Iran targets vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.