Reports from Yemen say fighters from the Iran-backed Houthi movement have reached a key island on the Red Sea
Perim Island divides the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the southern gateway to a trade route that links Asia and Europe – here’s why it is significant
The Houthis have said they pose no threat to international shipping but have reiterated their threat to target vessels from Saudi Arabia
A spokesman says they will announce details of a “large-scale military operation”
Saudi Arabia has relied on the Red Sea for oil exports since the US and Israel’s war effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz
No fewer than 46,000 people have been displaced in Yemen since fighting escalated last week, according to the International Organization for Migration
