Supporters of Yemen’s Ansar Allah movement (the Houthis) have seized the strategic port of Al-Mokha on the country’s western coast, bringing them close to controlling a major portion of the Red Sea coastline, though government forces backed by Saudi Arabia have not yet confirmed the city’s fall.
Sea-news.az reports citing Reuters and four military representatives of the government army, that official forces have acknowledged Houthi advancements toward Al-Mokha.
The report notes that the mounting tensions signal a new phase in the Yemeni civil war, which had seen reduced fighting following the 2022 ceasefire. This escalation began with Saudi airstrikes against the Houthis and attempted ground offensives by Riyadh-backed Yemeni troops on Houthi positions.
Now, the Houthis have launched counter-offensives while simultaneously targeting Saudi oil and gas infrastructure with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Recall that the Houthis captured the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, back in 2014, and currently control much of the country’s north and most densely populated regions.
The strategic importance of Al-Mokha lies in its proximity to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait—the narrow chokepoint stretching from the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. This waterway is vital for global trade connecting Asia and Europe via the Suez Canal, as well as for the transit of oil and other essential cargo.
Should the Houthis secure full control over Al-Mokha, it will significantly strengthen their positions along the Yemeni coast near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and increase their leverage over maritime traffic.
This situation is particularly critical given the severe disruptions to navigation in the Strait of Hormuz driven by ongoing U.S.-Iran tensions.
Reuters emphasizes that this turn of events could place a second major maritime route used for oil exports from Gulf nations in jeopardy.
