Houthis seize Perim Island, risk widening Red Sea shipping flare-up

Iran-backed Houthis have captured Perim Island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, adding a new flashpoint to a vital Red Sea shipping chokepoint. A former Pentagon official warned the volcanic rock is vulnerable and could become a U.S. “kill box,” with Washington able to strike but signaling it may prefer intelligence-sharing and diplomacy as regional actors weigh potential military actions and efforts to keep sea lanes open.