Yemen’s Houthi movement has reportedly taken control of the strategic Red Sea port city of Mokha after pushing back Saudi-backed forces loyal to the internationally recognised Yemeni government.
Military sources cited in reports said the Iran-aligned group captured Mokha following an offensive that has been underway in Yemen’s south-western coastal region for about a week.
The reported takeover could have major strategic implications because of Mokha’s proximity to the Bab al-Mandab Strait, one of the world’s most important maritime passages connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
The strait is located roughly 75 kilometres south of Mokha and serves as a key route for international commercial shipping and energy supplies.
The latest fighting has reportedly resulted in hundreds of deaths and forced thousands of people to flee their homes as the Houthis expand their military operations along the coast.
The development comes amid a wider escalation between the Houthis and neighbouring Saudi Arabia, with the conflict also raising concerns over the security of critical energy and shipping routes.
On Tuesday, the Houthis reportedly launched dozens of drones and missiles toward southern Saudi Arabia. Saudi authorities said the attacks injured 73 civilians and triggered fires at several oil facilities, temporarily disrupting operations.
The Houthis said the attacks were retaliation for Saudi air strikes on areas under their control in north-western Yemen.
Local officials also said a Saudi strike on a prison in Hazm, the capital of Yemen’s Jawf province, killed at least 23 civilians. The claim could not be independently verified from the information provided.
Saudi Arabia has supported Yemen’s government against the Houthis as part of a broader Arab coalition involved in the country’s civil war for more than a decade.
An informal ceasefire that had lasted for about four years began deteriorating in July after the Houthis announced what they called a “maritime embargo” against Saudi Arabia and resumed attacks involving missiles and drones.
The group has accused Riyadh of maintaining a blockade on ports and airports in Houthi-controlled territory and blamed Saudi Arabia for an air strike on Sanaa airport.
The latest escalation is taking place against the backdrop of wider instability in the Middle East. The Red Sea has become increasingly important for Saudi oil shipments following the reported disruption of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz amid the US-Israel conflict with Iran.
The reported capture of Mokha therefore adds another potential pressure point to an already fragile regional security situation.
