Houthi seize Mawoon Island, control Bab-el-Mandeb Strait channel.

In early September, Houthi forces launched a surprise attack on Mayun Island in the Bab al‑Mandab Strait, seizing control of the island and deploying artillery and air‑defence systems. The move came at the strategic crossroads between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, directly impacting international shipping and petroleum transport.

On 10 September 2024 local time, a Houthi spokesperson announced on social media that “Mayun Island has been brought under our defensive perimeter,” warning that any vessel attempting to enter the waters would face “a stern response.”

Mayun Island sits at the heart of the Bab al‑Mandab Strait, the sole maritime channel linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. More than 2,000 vessels transit the strait daily, carrying roughly 10 % of the world’s oil shipments. Since the outbreak of Yemen’s civil war in 2015, the Houthis have repeatedly threatened passing ships with naval blockades, missiles, and sea mines in an effort to counter the Saudi‑led coalition. The seizure of Mayun Island is widely viewed as an escalation of the Houthis’ maritime strategy, aimed at wresting practical control of the strait from coalition forces.

The Houthi movement, formally known as Ansar Allah, traces its origins to the 1990s Zaydi revivalist movement in Yemen. Its leadership largely consists of members of the Houthi family. Backed by Iran and closely linked to Iran‑led “Axis of Resistance,” the Houthis have opposed Saudi‑led forces for years, and have faced international condemnation for attacks on civilians and the conscription of child soldiers. Several countries have designated the group as a terrorist organisation. The United Nations Security Council, the United States, and the European Union have repeatedly called for restraint, warning against further deterioration of the Red Sea shipping lanes.

In response, a Saudi Arabian foreign ministry spokesperson said the Houthis’ provocation “will be met with decisive coalition retaliation” and urged the international community to tighten sanctions and naval blockades against the group. The United States Seventh Fleet dispatched an destroyer to the area to conduct a “freedom of navigation” mission, warning any actions that threaten global shipping security. Iran, in an official statement, described the Houthis’ actions as “legitimate self‑defence” and accused the United States of “military intervention” in the Red Sea that heightens regional tensions.

For Taiwan, the Bab al‑Mandab Strait is a critical hub in the global energy supply chain; any escalation could trigger oil price volatility and increased shipping costs, further affecting Taiwan’s energy imports and manufacturing supply chains. Beyond economic repercussions, the Houthis’ tangible maritime control underscores the need for Taiwan to strengthen cooperation with international maritime organisations and to closely monitor Iran and its proxy forces in key shipping lanes, ensuring the security of Taiwanese sea routes and energy stability.