Yemen’s Armed Forces have taken control of the strategic Mayyun Island, completing their control over the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a vital maritime passage connecting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

The seizure of Mayyun Island, also known as Perim Island, which is located at the center of the Bab al-Mandab Strait and serves as a key monitoring point, has placed the entire waterway under the control of forces based in Sana’a.

Western media outlets have also acknowledged in reports that Bab al-Mandab has officially come under the full control of Yemen’s Armed Forces.

Agence France-Presse, citing an official Yemeni government source, reported that Yemeni forces had taken control of Mayyun Island, completing their control over the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait.

Meanwhile, two Yemeni sources told Reuters that Saudi-backed armed groups had withdrawn from Perim Island, located in the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait.

The development came after Yemen’s armed forces seized the western coastal city of al-Mokha in recent days, forcing Saudi-backed mercenaries to retreat toward the south and the city of Dhubab.

The advances followed a series of military gains by Yemen’s armed forces along the western coast, where they captured strategic cities and ports, including al-Mokha and Dhubab, before entering Mayyun Island and completing their control over the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

Meanwhile, a senior Ansarullah official warned that any Saudi attack on Yemen’s infrastructure, airports, or ports would face a reciprocal response.

Hazam al-Asad, a senior Ansarullah official, said in response to recent Saudi threats that under the equation of “escalation for escalation,” any attack or targeting of infrastructure, airports, or ports in al-Mokha, Dhubab, Mayyun Island, and other areas of Yemen by the “aggressive Saudi regime” would be met with a similar reaction and a reciprocal response.

The warning came after Saudi fighter jets carried out extensive airstrikes against positions of Yemeni forces in the provinces of Taiz, al-Hudaydah, al-Jawf, and Ma’rib, as well as against al-Mokha Airport.

Ansarullah has warned that the attacks would not go unanswered, stating that Saudi infrastructure would also be within reach under the “escalation for escalation” equation.

The Bab al-Mandab Strait is considered one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints due to its role in global shipping routes between the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.

Control over Mayyun Island has long been viewed as a strategic factor in influencing maritime movement through the narrow passage.

The latest developments come amid escalating tensions along Yemen’s western coast, where Yemeni forces and Saudi-backed mercenaries have been engaged in fighting over key coastal areas and strategic locations.

The recent advances have changed the balance of power on the western front and prompted a response from Saudi Arabia through airstrikes targeting Yemeni positions and infrastructure.