Iran-aligned Houthi militants reached Yemen's strategic Perim Island at the mouth of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait early on Friday (September 11) after government forces withdrew, four Yemeni government sources told Reuters.

The move marked the group's most significant advance yet towards control of the key shipping waterway.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

ARCHIVE: Houthis reach Yemen's strategic Perim Island at mouth of Bab el-Mandeb Strait, sources say

VIDEO SHOWS: ARCHIVE FOOTAGE OF EVENTS UNFOLDING IN THE STRAIT OF BAB EL-MANDEB FOLLOWING THE ISRAELI AND U.S. OPERATION IN IRAN

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis said on July 20 they were imposing a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, drawing a warning from the Saudi-led coalition that it would respond "firmly", in a move that threatened to disrupt global energy supplies beyond the Gulf.

Closure of the Bab el-Mandeb strait — gateway to the Red Sea — would open a new front in the energy crisis and Iran's overarching conflict with the U.S.

With Hormuz already disrupted, the Red Sea is now a critical alternative outlet for Gulf oil and other products.

Total volumes of petroleum transiting Bab el-Mandeb amounted to 7.4 million barrels per day (bpd) in June, or about 7% of global oil output according to Kpler data, up from 4.2 million bpd last year.

BAB EL-MANDEB, YEMEN (ARCHIVE - APRIL 2, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF ROAD SIGN WITH ARROWS AND TEXT READING (Arabic): "Bab El-Mandeb (TOP) Mokha." / TRAFFIC ON ROAD

ANIMATION (ARCHIVE - RECORDED JUNE 8, 2026) (GOOGLE EARTH - Must not obscure on-screen courtesy. No resale) (MUTE)

2. ANIMATION OF BAB EL-MANDEB STRAIT, MADE USING A COMPOSITE OF SATELLITE IMAGERY FROM SEVERAL SOURCES AND DATES

INTERNET (RECORDED JULY 15, 2026) (MARINETRAFFIC - Must on-screen courtesy 'MarineTraffic') (MUTE)

3. ANIMATION SHOWING TRAFFIC MOVEMENT IN BAB EL-MANDEB FROM 1142GMT TO 1452GMT ON JULY 14, 2026 (SPED AT SOURCE)

4. ANIMATION SHOWING TRAFFIC MOVEMENT IN BAB EL-MANDEB FROM 1831GMT TO 2125GMT ON JULY 14, 2026 (SPED AT SOURCE)

AT SEA (ARCHIVE - APRIL 2, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

5. VARIOUS OF BOAT AT SEA, OFF THE COAST OF BAB EL-MANDEB

6. SEA OFF THE COAST OF BAB EL-MANDEB / BOATS AT ANCHOR NEAR BEACH

Four tankers changed course in the Red Sea on July 22, with two signalling the Suez Canal as their new destination after Yemen's Houthi militia warned ships to avoid sailing to Saudi Arabian ports, ship-tracking data showed.

INTERNET (ARCHIVE - RECORDED JULY 22, 2026) (MARINETRAFFIC - Must on-screen courtesy 'MarineTraffic'. No resale) (MUTE)

7. TIMELAPSE OF SCREEN RECORDING SHOWING ROUTE OF VESSEL LIU JIANG KOU IN GULF OF ADEN FROM JULY 20 AT 1500GMT TO JULY 22 AT 1330GMT

8. TIMELAPSE OF SCREEN RECORDING SHOWING ROUTE OF VESSEL XIN LONG YANG IN RED SEA FROM JULY 21 AT 0915GMT TO JULY 22 AT 1100GMT

Vessels were seen off the coast of Jeddah in the Red Sea on July 22, as more ships changed course after Houthi threats, data showed.

JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA (ARCHIVE - JULY 22, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

9. SAUDI BORDER GUARD BOAT DOCKED, VESSELS IN THE RED SEA, AS SEEN OFF THE COAST OF JEDDAH

10. VESSELS IN THE RED SEA, AS SEEN OFF THE COAST OF JEDDAH

11. VARIOUS OF JEDDAH ISLAMIC PORT (TWO SHOTS)

Saudi Arabia’s Al Arabiya television released video on July 23 it said was from the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, describing the footage on X as showing the “the on-the-ground situation” in the strategic waterway.

The exact date the video was recorded could not be verified.

GIVEN AS YEMEN (ARCHIVE - RELEASED JULY 23, 2026) (AL ARABIYA - No use Al-Jazeera. No use Sky News Arabia. Must not obscure logo)

12. PEOPLE WITH FIREARMS STANDING ON BOAT, VESSEL IN BACKGROUND

13. VESSEL ON WATER

14. PEOPLE ON MOVING BOAT HOLDING FIREARMS

15. WATER

16. PEOPLE IN ARMY FATIGUES ON BOAT

17. COASTLINE, BOATS, CHILDREN PLAYING

18. PERSON ON BOAT HOLDING FIREARM

19. WATER

Footage obtained by Reuters showed small boats and residents at Yemen's Bab el-Mandeb strait, located at the south of the Red Sea.

Reuters verified the location by the buildings, and coastline, which matched satellite imagery, and original file metadata. The shape of the mountains matched topographic mapping of the area.

AT SEA (ARCHIVE - JULY 25, 2026) (VIDEO OBTAINED BY REUTERS - Access all )

20. BAB EL-MANDEB STRAIT AS SEEN FROM BOAT ON WATER IN RED SEA, WITH HOUSES AND PARKED BOATS

TAIZ GOVERNORATE, YEMEN (ARCHIVE - JULY 25, 2026) (VIDEO OBTAINED BY REUTERS - Access all)

21. BOATS ON SHORE, PERSON RIDING MOTORIZED BOAT ON WATER AROUND BAB EL-MANDEB AREA

TAIZ GOVERNORATE, YEMEN (ARCHIVE - JULY 24, 2026) (VIDEO OBTAINED BY REUTERS - Access all)

22. PEOPLE SWIMMING IN RED SEA, BOATS PARKED ON SHORE

TAIZ GOVERNORATE, YEMEN (ARCHIVE - JULY 25, 2026) (VIDEO OBTAINED BY REUTERS - Access all )

23. MOTORIZED BOAT CRUISING ON WATER / BOATS PARKED ON SHORE AND CHILDREN PLAYING IN WATER

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis resumed attacks on the Red Sea port city of Mocha on August 9, a Yemeni military spokesperson said.

Footage released by the Houthis and shown by Houthi-affiliated Al Masirah TV purports to show the launch of several ballistic missiles and drones, which Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said in a post on Telegram targeted Saudi troop concentrations and weapons depots.

UNKNOWN LOCATION (RELEASED AUGUST 9, 2026) (HOUTHI MEDIA CENTRE - Access all)

24. VARIOUS OF WHAT IS SAID TO BE MISSILES AND DRONES LAUNCHED TOWARDS THE RED SEA PORT CITY OF MOCHA

The Yemeni military said early on August 10 seven people, including military personnel and civilians, were killed and 30 others wounded in a Houthi attack on the Red Sea port city of Mocha, civilian infrastructure and armed forces.

MOCHA, YEMEN (ARCHIVE - AUGUST 9, 2026) (VIDEO OBTAINED BY REUTERS - No resale / No archive)

25. SMOKE RISING BEHIND BUILDINGS / LOUD AUDIO OF EXPLOSION RINGING OUT

26. THICK PLUMES OF SMOKE RISING / VEHICLES DRIVING PAST ON STREET

Eyewitness footage recorded near Yemen's coast on August 11 showed a cargo ship engulfed in flames, with thick black smoke rising from the vessel.

Yemeni coast guard and military sources said three crew members, two Pakistanis and one Indonesian, were killed in a strike on the Tanzania-flagged cargo ship Tihamah.

British maritime security firm Ambrey said the vessel was reportedly targeted and damaged by the Houthis while near Perim Island.

NEAR MURAD, YEMEN (AUGUST 11, 2026) (ORIGINALLY SHOT IN PORTRAIT) (SOCIAL MEDIA - No resales/ No archive/ News use only)

27. CARGO SHIP BURNING, COLUMN OF SMOKE RISING FROM CARGO SHIP

NEAR MURAD, YEMEN (AUGUST 11, 2026) (ORIGINALLY SHOT IN PORTRAIT) (MEDIA OFFICE OF THE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT - REPUBLIC OF YEMEN - No resales/ No archive/ Must on-screen courtesy MEDIA OFFICE OF THE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT - REPUBLIC OF YEMEN) (MUTE)

28. STILL PHOTOGRAPH OF DAMAGED CARGO VESSEL “TIHAMAH” AFTER REPORTS OF BEING TARGETED IN BAB EL-MANDEB STRAIT

Yemen's internationally recognised government said the Houthis fired six ballistic missiles at the Red Sea port of Mocha on August 14, killing four civilians, amid an escalation in hostilities between the Iran-aligned group and its Saudi-backed opponents.

Footage released by Yemeni TV purportedly showed fire and smoke rising over Mocha.

Reuters was not able to verify the location nor date the video was filmed.

No older version of the video was found posted online before August 14.

GIVEN AS MOCHA, YEMEN (AUGUST 14, 2026) (YEMEN TV - Access all) (NIGHT SHOTS)

29. VARIOUS OF FIRE BURNING AND PLUMES OF SMOKE IN DISTANCE / AUDIO OF PRAYERS IN BACKGROUND

Footage released on August 15 by Saudi-backed government-affiliated organisation Al Joumhouriya TV showed several small vessels burning at the scene.

MOCHA, YEMEN (RELEASED AUGUST 15, 2026) (AL JOUMHOURIYA TV - Access all) (MUTE)

30. VARIOUS OF SMALL VESSELS ON FIRE IN WATER AND DAMAGED INFRASTRUCTURE AT MOCHA PORT

Houthi fighters were seen celebrating in front of the Security Directorate building in Hays, Yemen in social media footage released on September 10, as government sources told Reuters that the Houthis have taken control of the Yemeni Red Sea city of Mocha.

Reuters confirmed the location from road layout, mosque, tree and buildings which matched archive and satellite images. Coordinates of the security directorate building: 3.932467796570425, 43.47947647366851. People seen in the video were chanting Houthi slogans. The date of the footage was not verified, but no older version of the video was found posted online before September 10.

HAYS, YEMEN (RELEASED SEPTEMBER 10, 2026) (SOCIAL MEDIA - No Resale / No Archive / News Use Only)

31. DRIVING SHOT SHOWING VEHICLES, PEOPLE IN COMBAT UNIFORMS GATHERING / MAN OFF-CAMERA SAYING: (Arabic): “This gas station is in the centre of Hays governance, and this is Al Rayan pharmacy, and the men wearing the military uniforms.”

32. DRIVING SHOT DRIVING THROUGH HAYS / MEN APPROACHING WINDOW OF VEHICLE / MAN OFF-CAMERA SAYING: (Arabic): “Full control on the governance thanks to Allah. This is Shaikh Mohammed Monassar.”

33. MEN CHANTING (Arabic): “Allahu Akbar, death to America, death to Israel, curses on the Jews, victory for Islam.” / ARMED HOUTHI FIGHTERS WALKING TO SECURITY DIRECTORATE BUILDING / SIGN READING (Arabic): "HAYS SECURITY DIRECTORATE"

Iran-aligned Houthis seized control of Yemen's port city of Mocha on September 10, military sources said, posing a further threat to global energy supplies hours after President Donald Trump said he expected the war to end after mid-term elections.

Four Yemeni government military sources said the Houthis had gained further leverage over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the southern outlet of the Red Sea and one of the world's most important shipping routes, and were launching attacks on the strategic islands of Hanish.

ANIMATION (RECORDED SEPTEMBER 10, 2026) (GOOGLE EARTH - Must not obscure on screen courtesy. No resale.) (MUTE)

34. ANIMATION OF MOCHA, DHUBAB AND PERIM ISLAND, YEMEN, MADE USING A COMPOSITE OF SATELLITE IMAGERY FROM SEVERAL SOURCES AND DATES

ANIMATION (RECORDED SEPTEMBER 10, 2026) (GOOGLE EARTH - Must not obscure on screen courtesy. No resale.) (MUTE)

35. ANIMATION OF HANISH ISLANDS, MADE USING A COMPOSITE OF SATELLITE IMAGERY FROM SEVERAL SOURCES AND DATES

Houthi-run Al Masirah TV released footage on September 10 said to show Houthi fighters at Yemen's Red Sea port of Mocha.

The video showed an armoured military vehicle parked inside a warehouse, with a voice heard off-screen saying: "This is Mocha port."

The location was verified by the buildings, electricity pole, and paint, which matched satellite imagery. The date when the video was filmed could not be verified. However, military sources said Houthi militants seized control of Yemen's port city of Mocha on September 10.

MOCHA, YEMEN (RELEASED SEPTEMBER 10, 2026) (AL MASIRAH TV - Access all)

36. FOOTAGE SAID TO SHOW HOUTHI FIGHTERS IN MOCHA PORT, ARMOURED MILITARY VEHICLE INSIDE WAREHOUSE / METAL SHEETS ON GROUND / PARKED VEHICLE / AUDIO OFF-SCREEN SAYING (Arabic): "This is Mocha port. With the grace of God."