Houthis Seize Yemen's Mokha, Threatening Key Red Sea Trade Route
Yemen’s Iran‑backed Houthi rebels have reportedly taken the strategic Red Sea port city of Mokha from troops loyal to Saudi‑backed President Hadi, according to military sources. The capture marks a significant expansion of Houthi influence in southern Yemen and places them closer to one of the world’s most trafficked waterways.
Mokha lies only about 75 kilometres (46 miles) north of the Bab al‑Mandab Strait – the narrow channel that connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. If the Houthis can secure the strait as well, they could threaten shipping lanes that see more than 20,000 containers passing every week, and disrupt global oil flows that rely heavily on Red Sea routes.
The offensive so far has already seen hundreds of civilians killed and thousands displaced. Sources say the campaign began a week ago, following a series of drone and missile strikes on Saudi Arabian targets, which the Houthis claim were retaliation for Saudi air strikes on Yemeni towns, including a deadly assault on a prison in Hazm district.
The conflict’s escalation is mirrored on the economic front – an uptick in Houthi attacks has triggered a surge in global oil prices. Oil‑rich nations are watching closely as potential threats to the Red Sea could prompt disruptions at the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al‑Mandab, compounding volatile market conditions.
Saudi‑led coalition forces had been conducting a blockade of Houthi‑controlled ports and airports, which the rebels argue hampers civilian access. The maritime embargo, declared by the Houthis in July, has also resulted in a series of missile and drone attacks against Saudi airports, refineries, and tankers in the Red Sea.
