Houthis seize Red Sea port of Mokha in Yemen

The Iran‑backed Houthi movement announced on Saturday that its forces have seized the Yemeni port city of Mokha, a development that brings the rebels within striking distance of the Bab al‑Mandab Strait. The capture marks the latest gain in a series of advances across the country's southwestern coast, where the group has been pushing against the Saudi‑backed Yemeni government since the spring.

Mokha sits on the Red Sea coast just north of the Bab al‑Mandab, the narrow waterway that links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and serves as a conduit for a substantial share of global oil, container, and bulk cargo traffic. Control of the strait would enable the Houthis to monitor, and potentially disrupt, commercial shipping that passes through the corridor daily. The group’s progress follows earlier seizures of nearby towns such as Hodeidah’s outskirts and the port of Al‑Mokha’s hinterland, prompting renewed warnings from the Saudi‑led coalition and international maritime agencies about possible attacks on vessels transiting the route. No immediate changes to shipping schedules have been reported, but naval patrols in the area have been heightened as stakeholders assess the security implications.

The takeover of Mokha underscores the shifting balance of power along Yemen’s coastline and heightens concerns over the safety of one of the world’s busiest maritime passages. Analysts say that any attempt by the Houthis to exert de‑facto control over the Bab al‑Mandab could trigger diplomatic and possibly military responses from regional and global powers invested in keeping the strait open. Monitoring will continue as both parties assess the next steps in a conflict that already threatens regional trade and navigation.