Houthi forces seized key Yemeni coastal positions including Mocha and Mayyun (Perim) Island overlooking Bab el-Mandeb in mid-September 2026, strengthening their ability to monitor and target specific shipping while Saudi exports reroute via the Red Sea after the Strait of Hormuz closure earlier in the year. Yemeni government forces backed by Saudi-led coalition airstrikes launched a counteroffensive in early October, claiming recapture of Mocha and advances toward Dhubab, though Houthi control of the island and parts of the strait remains disputed with no independent verification of full reversal. Shipping traffic continues at reduced volumes—roughly 60-80% of normal levels—with no formal closure declared by any authority and selective threats primarily against Saudi-linked vessels. Upcoming ground operations and potential naval deployments by regional actors could alter control or risk premiums for transits.