Houthis 'take control' of key island in global shipping route

Iran-backed Houthi fighters have taken control of Perim Island, a strategically vital location in the Red Sea's Bab al-Mandab Strait that divides a major global shipping route between Asia and Europe. The rapid Houthi advance has captured multiple Red Sea ports including Mokha and threatens a critical waterway through which Saudi Arabia exports oil and through which international commerce flows. The takeover has alarmed major military powers including the US, China, France, Japan, and Italy, which all maintain military facilities in nearby Djibouti to protect shipping and regional security.