Houthis CAPTURE island, threatening global trade

BRING YOU THE HIGHLIGHTS AS THEY. HAPPEN. YEMEN IRAN-BACKED HOUTHI REBELS, AS THEHEY CALL THEM, BLOOD-THIRY. TERRORIST, THREATENING ANOTHER. TRADE ROUTE. YESTERDAY THEY TOOK CONTROL OF. PORT CITY ON THE RED SEA AND. CAPTURED STRATEGIC ISLAND AT. MOUTH OF THAT KEY WATERWAY. NOW IT IS EASIER FOR THEM TO. LAUNCH NEW ATTACKS ON COMMERCIAL. SHIPS TRYING TO BYPASS THE. CONFLICT IN THE STRAIT OF. HORMUZ. LAST NIGHT PRESIDENT TRUMP.

TALKED ABOUT THE SITUATION THERE. AND THE U.S. FORCES WHICH REMAIN. ON PATROL IN THE REGION. >> President Trump: WE BUILT THE. STRONGEST MILITARY IN THE WORLD. WE HAD TO USE IT A LITTLE MORE. THAN I THOUGHT, WE CANNOT LET. IRAN HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON AND. THEY WILL NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR. WEAPON. THEY ARE FOLDING ALL OVER THE. PLACE AND BY THE WAY, WE CONTROL. THE STRAIT, THE TRUMP STRAIT I. CALL IT. WE CONTROL THE TRUMP STRAIT. >> Harris: FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT. JEFF PAUL WITH THE LATEST.

JEFF. >> Jeff: OFFICIALS ON THE GROUND. IN YEMEN REPORT THE HOUTHI. REBELS CAPTURED A SMALL VOLCANIC. ISLAND KNOWN AS PERIM, THIS IS. SIGNIFICANT, THE MILITANT GROUP. IS TIGHTENING ITS GRIP ON THE. SHIPPING ROUTE. LOOK AT THE MAP, THIS IS. BABB AL MANDEB STRAIT IN THE RED. SEA. IT LED TO CLOSURE OF. STRAIT OF HORMUZ, COUNTRIES LIKE. SAUDI ARABIA RELY ON THIS.

WATERWAY TO GET OIL EXPORTS OUT. WITH THE HOUTHIS PARKOD THIS. ISLAND, THERE IS ABILITY TO. OVERLOOK WHO IS TRANSITING IN. AND OUT OF THE RED SEA. SAUDI ARABIA ORDERED AIRSTRIKE. HITTING AN AIRPORT THAT THE. HOUTHIS CONTROL. IF THE HOUTHIS GAIN CONTROL OVER. THIS STRAIT IN THE RED SEA, IT. COULD GIVE IRAN A MASSIVE. ADVANTAGE HAVING CHOKED OFF OIL. SUPPLY FROM A SECRETARY CRITICAL.

WATERWAY AND LEAD TO. SKYROCKETING ENERGY PRICES AND. DESPERATION AMONG INNOCENT. CIVILIANS CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE. >> THEY ARE BLOCKED BY ROADS AND. ACCESS TO -- THIS CRITICAL. MOMENT THE PEOPLE --. >> Jeff: IRAN CALLED FOR AN END. TO SAUDI ARABIA BLOCKADE OF. YEMEN BUT SO FAR NO IMMEDIATE.

RESPONSE FROM ANYONE IN RIYADH. ADMIRAL BRAD COOPER IS.