Houthi forces seize Perim Island, controlling Bab el-Mandeb Strait

Iranian-backed Houthi rebels seized Perim Island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on September 11, 2026, after an 18-hour assault, threatening a maritime chokepoint that handles 12% of global trade. In response to regional attacks, Saudi Arabia shut down its vital East-West oil pipeline, while Iraq launched an investigation into launches from its territory. Concurrently, Anthropic blocked northern Yemeni users for using Claude Code to develop missile software, and diplomatic talks are scheduled to address shipping security.

Houthi seizure of Perim Island

• ▪A senior military official with Yemen's internationally recognized government and an anonymous Houthi official confirmed the Houthi capture of Perim Island
• ▪Iranian-backed Houthi rebels captured Perim Island, also known as Mayun Island, at the entrance of the Red Sea on September 11, 2026, following an 18-hour assault
• ▪Houthi rebels in Mokha, Yemen, seized a compound that had housed United Nations staff, forcing all personnel to flee the city safely prior to its capture

Bab el-Mandeb Strait shipping disruption

• ▪Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree stated on September 11, 2026, that maritime navigation through the region remains safe for all companies except for Saudi Arabian vessels
• ▪The Bab el-Mandeb Strait, where Houthi rebels seized Perim Island, typically handles approximately 12% of global goods shipments and serves as a key alternative route for Saudi oil

Saudi oil pipeline shutdown

• ▪Saudi oil exports through the Red Sea port at the end of the East-West pipeline have more than doubled since the United States and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, 2026
• ▪Saudi Arabia shut down its major East-West cross-country oil pipeline as a precautionary measure on September 11, 2026, following attacks on September 10, 2026
• ▪Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi ordered an investigation and dismissed the operations commander in Maysan province after determining that attacks targeting Saudi Arabia were launched from the province

Anthropic AI weapons development blocking

• ▪Artificial intelligence company Anthropic stated there is no evidence that the blocked users in northern Yemen succeeded in fielding any weapons developed using the company's models
• ▪Artificial intelligence company Anthropic blocked users in northern Yemen after an internal investigation revealed they were using Claude Code to develop software for guiding and stabilizing missiles and rockets

Regional diplomatic responses

• ▪The Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors are scheduled to meet at the United States State Department to discuss the implementation of a trilateral framework
• ▪Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei announced a regional meeting scheduled for September 14, 2026, in Oman between Iran, Oman, and Iraq to discuss shipping in the Strait of Hormuz

Israeli military operations Lebanon

• ▪Israeli forces continued demolishing houses in southern Lebanon, including dropping explosives from drones onto homes in the coastal village of Mansouri on September 11, 2026
• ▪Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced on September 11, 2026, that the Israeli military completed the destruction of Hezbollah-built tunnels in the Ali Taher ridge in southern Lebanon

Debatable claims

• ▪International forces should use military action to secure the Bab el-Mandeb Strait
• ▪Israel's demolition of homes in southern Lebanon is a justified security measure