The Iran-aligned Houthi movement in Yemen has taken control of the strategic Red Sea port city of Mocha, according to reports released Thursday. Witnesses described fighters marching through the area chanting anti-American and anti-Israel slogans, marking a significant territorial gain for the group, which already dominates much of northwest Yemen.
Saudi Arabia responded swiftly to the offensive, launching dozens of airstrikes over a 24-hour period. A Houthi military spokesperson confirmed the surge in bombardments, noting that the kingdom had previously been targeted by Houthi strikes that wounded dozens of civilians. The escalation is part of a broader regional war that reignited in late February following US and Israeli military strikes on Iran.
A Yemeni military source told AFP that Houthi forces were moving toward the Bab al-Mandab strait immediately after securing Mocha. The narrow waterway serves as a critical maritime link between Asia and Europe via the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. Its strategic importance has grown significantly since the wider Middle East conflict began, particularly after Iran imposed a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting Gulf maritime traffic and pushing global oil prices higher.
On Thursday, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude surged past $100, following Brent North Sea crude, the primary international benchmark, which had already crossed that threshold on Wednesday.
Rashad al-Alimi, head of Yemen’s internationally recognized Presidential Leadership Council, stated that safeguarding the nation’s coastline and reestablishing state authority over it was of paramount Arab and international importance. The source also reported that Houthi fighters captured Zuqar Island in the southern Red Sea following rocket attacks and amphibious assaults using boats to transport troops.
Tarek Saleh, who leads the Yemeni National Resistance Forces previously stationed in Mocha, announced he had relocated his command center to regroup. He attributed the recent losses to a Houthi offensive that was both planned and supported by Iran, noting that government forces had suffered heavy casualties in the past few days.
Andreas Krieg, a security expert at King’s College London, observed that while the Houthis had previously used drones and missiles to disrupt Red Sea traffic, direct control of the coast would substantially strengthen their capacity for maritime coercion. Prior to this latest advance, the group controlled the capital, Sanaa, and the major port of Hodeidah, but had not held territory directly bordering Bab al-Mandab.
The fighting has forced thousands to flee. Many residents are relocating to Aden, where the recognized government is based. One displaced resident, Mohamed, 46, described an “apocalyptic” atmosphere in Mocha, while another refugee, Mujahid Tahami, reported that looting by armed gangs had occurred as families attempted to escape.
Yemen descended back into full-scale war in July after years of fragile calm. Since the renewed hostilities began last week, more than 500 people have been killed, mostly combatants, with nearly 20,000 displaced, according to the International Organization for Migration.
Tensions escalated in July when the Houthis allowed an Iranian plane to land in defiance of Saudi-enforced airspace restrictions. The Yemeni government retaliated by striking Sanaa airport, an attack the Houthis blamed on Riyadh. The United Nations Security Council convened an emergency meeting on Thursday, organized by the United Kingdom. Hans Grundberg, the UN envoy for Yemen, urged members to actively invest efforts in preventing the situation from spiraling into a more dangerous regional conflict.
The current violence risks returning Yemen to the devastation seen between 2015 and 2022, when the Houthis fought a Saudi-led coalition before a UN-brokered ceasefire ended large-scale operations, a conflict that left hundreds of thousands dead and triggered one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
Leave a Reply