Iran-aligned Houthi rebels have seized the Red Sea port city of Mokha from Saudi-backed government forces, a move that significantly expands the conflict in Yemen and raises the specter of a new front in the broader war between the United States and Iran. The takeover represents the largest territorial gain for the Houthis since a United Nations-brokered ceasefire in 2022 halted major combat operations.
The group advanced rapidly along Yemen’s southern coast, capturing Mokha on Thursday before reaching the Hanish archipelago, according to Yemeni government sources cited by Reuters. Both a Yemeni commander and a member of the Houthi political bureau confirmed the loss of the city to the Associated Press. In response, government troops retreated southward toward Dhubab, a strategic town overlooking the Bab el-Mandeb strait.
Violence has already escalated on multiple fronts. Houthi-affiliated Al-Masirah TV reported that Saudi-backed forces launched 40 airstrikes across the provinces of Taiz, Jawf, Hodeida, and Marib. Meanwhile, Yemen’s government conducted airstrikes west of Taiz and issued warnings for civilians to avoid roads connecting Taiz and Mokha. UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg described the developments at an emergency Security Council meeting on Thursday, stating, “This renewed war should alarm us all… It effectively marks the end of the relative calm that Yemen has experienced for over four years since the U.N.-brokered truce.”
The capture of Mokha, located approximately 80 kilometers north of the Bab el-Mandeb strait, fortifies the Houthis’ position to threaten one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints. Roughly 12% of global trade typically passes through the strait, which links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. Its strategic importance has intensified since Iran militarized the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for U.S. and Israeli strikes on February 28.
While Iran publicly denies that the Houthis are its proxies, reports indicate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has provided direct guidance and weapons. Iran reportedly instructed the Houthis last week to escalate attacks against Saudi Arabia. In a statement on Friday, Iran’s foreign ministry called for a diplomatic resolution and accused the Israeli regime of expansionism with U.S. complicity. Mohammed Abdulsalam, a Houthi spokesperson, announced via social media that the group would cease targeting Saudi ships once what it termed “aggression” against Yemen ends.
The destabilization threatens global energy markets. With the Strait of Hormuz compromised, Saudi Arabia has redirected more crude oil exports to its Red Sea port of Yanbu. However, the Houthis declared a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia on July 20, attacking shipping and energy infrastructure. Consequently, Saudi crude exports have dropped to their lowest level in 13 years, with production falling 23% between July and August. Overall vessel traffic through Bab el-Mandeb declined by approximately 24% in the week following the blockade declaration.
Kingdom officials have responded with airstrikes in northern Yemen and warnings to Iran to restrain the group, while supplying allies with arms and intelligence. Despite the escalation, Riyadh has resisted calls for a broader air campaign in southern Yemen and along the Red Sea coast. The Houthi advance may now compel the United States to divert military resources to protect a second maritime chokepoint, complicating efforts to limit American involvement in the Middle East.
The timing of the offensive coincides with political rhetoric in Washington. Hours before the fall of Mokha, President Donald Trump suggested on Wednesday that Iran was prolonging the war to influence Republican prospects in the November midterms. He maintained, however, that Iran is on the verge of collapse and predicted the conflict would end “immediately after” the vote.
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