Yemeni and Saudi forces launch counteroffensive against Houthis near Djibouti

Yemeni government forces and their Saudi allies launched a military counteroffensive in early October to retake Perim Island from Iran-backed Houthi rebels, DW reported. The military actions follow the capture of the island by Houthi forces in September. The fighting is taking place near the African coast along the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. [1]

Perim Island forms the narrowest point of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the southern entrance of the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, DW reported. The island sits roughly 20 kilometers, or 12 miles, from Djibouti and is a 20-minute flight from Ethiopia. DW noted that Iran-backed Houthis have been firing on merchant ships since the start of the Gaza war in 2023. [1]

The Red Sea is an inlet of the Indian Ocean positioned between Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, connecting to the ocean through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden. As FTMQ News reported earlier, Houthi rebels have controlled northern and western Yemen, including the capital city of Sanaa, since 2014. [5][7]

The ongoing regional conflict reflects a broader proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia for influence across the Middle East and neighboring regions. Both nations have provided support to opposing sides in civil wars in Syria and Yemen, as well as political disputes in several other countries. [6]