Houthis seize Mayun island as Saudi Arabia shuts attacked oil pipeline

CAIRO — Brent crude prices surged above $100 a barrel this week as Iran-backed Houthi rebels seized total control of Yemen's Red Sea coastline, including the strategic Mayun island. The territorial collapse has coincided with a sharp spike in U.S. Energy costs, with diesel prices rising more than 63% from a year ago to nearly $6.06 per gallon and gasoline up over 34% to nearly $4.30 per gallon, according to NPR. The Houthi advance has effectively trapped Saudi Arabia in a "double choke." Having already faced an Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the kingdom attempted to reroute oil via the Red Sea. However, the capture of Mayun — a volcanic island in the heart of the 28-kilometer-wide Bab al-Mandeb strait, and the port city of Mokha gives the Houthis the geography required to enforce a ban on Saudi vessels. This strategic squeeze was compounded Thursday when Saudi Arabia was forced into a "precautionary suspension" of its East-West pipeline following drone attacks.

The Geography of the Red Sea Choke Point

The seizure of Mayun (also known as Perim) is the central development in the Houthi's biggest territorial gain in years. Situated in the middle of the Bab al-Mandeb strait, the barren volcanic island allows the rebels to monitor and target shipping entering the southern gateway to the Red Sea. The advance was rapid. Houthi fighters reached the port city of Mokha at dawn on Thursday before moving offshore. By Friday, government sources confirmed the group had seized the al-Omari camp overlooking the strait and the town of Dhubab. A Yemeni military official told Israel National News that Greater and Lesser Hanish islands had also fallen, stating, Everything that was under our control on the western coast has fallen. The result is a total Houthi monopoly on the Yemeni side of the strait. While Houthi military spokesman Brigadier-General Yahya Saree claims maritime navigation remains safe for all companies except Saudi vessels, markets remain volatile.

The Pipeline Failure and Export Logistics

The East-West pipeline, constructed in the 1980s, was designed specifically to allow Saudi Arabia to bypass the Strait of Hormuz during crises. By early June, the kingdom had doubled exports from the pipeline's Red Sea terminus to over 5 million barrels per day, according to the International Energy Agency. That fallback has now failed. A fire near the western end of the pipeline was detected via Copernicus Sentinel-3 satellite imagery. The Saudi Ministry of Energy confirmed the suspension of the pipeline on Friday following attacks on Thursday.

Metric	Current Status / Value	Context / Source
Brent Crude Price	~$105 (peaked over $108)	Global metric via NPR
U.S. Diesel Price	~$6.06 per gallon	Up 63% year-over-year (AAA)
U.S. Gasoline Price	~$4.30 per gallon	Up 34% year-over-year (AAA)
Saudi Oil Exports	3.2 million barrels/day	Lowest in decade (Kpler)
Bab al-Mandeb Traffic	Down ~60%	Since late 2023 (Lloyd’s List)

With the pipeline suspended and the strait contested, Saudi Arabia is forced to send oil north through the Red Sea toward the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal or an Egyptian pipeline. This route is significantly longer and more expensive for Asian clients. Furthermore, the Houthis have already targeted this alternative, striking a Saudi vessel in the north of the Red Sea in late August, according to Deccanchronicle.

Fragmentation of the Anti-Houthi Front

The speed of the Houthi advance has exposed a breakdown in the coalition supporting the internationally recognized Yemeni government. A senior military official told the AP that the Saudi air force’s failure to prevent the fall of Mokha, located 80 kilometers from the strait, was stunning. He attributed the failure to a lack of U.S. Authorization for a large-scale air campaign and poor coordination between the Yemeni army and allied militias. Andreas Krieg, a senior lecturer at King’s College London, told EuropeSays that while narratives from the UAE and Saudi Arabia suggested a cohesive front, the reality is a highly fragmented anti-Houthi front where militias compete over domestic constituencies rather than focusing on the rebels. This fragmentation has left the kingdom seeking external intervention. According to Israel National News, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called President Donald Trump twice on Thursday. During these calls, the Crown Prince requested U.S. Military strikes against the Houthis. Trump rejected the request, offering intelligence and targeting information instead of direct kinetic action.

The Human Cost and Iranian Influence

The territorial shift has triggered a humanitarian crisis. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that between 18,500 and 46,000 people have been displaced by the fighting. Tehran has viewed these gains as a strategic success. Mohammad Mokhber, an adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader, stated that the combined pressure in the Strait of Hormuz and Yemen has driven the U.S. And its allies into a tactical and strategic impasse. While the Saudi Foreign Ministry blamed the pipeline attacks on drones originating from Iraq, regional officials told the AP that the Houthis actively helped Iraqi militias plan and execute the strikes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Mayun Island so important?

Its location in the center of the Bab al-Mandeb strait allows the Houthis to control the narrowest point of the waterway, making it easier to target Saudi tankers and enforce a blockade on the Red Sea.

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Why did Saudi Arabia shut down its pipeline?

The East-West pipeline was attacked by drones, prompting the Ministry of Energy to implement a "precautionary suspension" to prevent further damage or loss of oil.

How are the Houthis justifying their actions?

Houthi leaders, including Mohammed Bukthi, claim the blockade and attacks are a response to Saudi Arabia's years-long blockade of Houthi-held areas, which they say has caused deaths from hunger.

The immediate focus now shifts to diplomatic attempts to resolve the primary chokepoint in the Persian Gulf. Iran has announced that Oman will host a meeting this coming Monday with Gulf Arab countries and Iraq to discuss a plan that would allow ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz with Iranian permission.