On Thursday, Iran‑backed Houthi rebels took control of Mokha, a strategic port city on Yemen’s western coast, officials said. Mokha sits roughly 80 kilometers (50 miles) from the Bab el‑Mandeb Strait, the narrow waterway that links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and handles about 12% of global trade.
Implications for Red Sea Shipping
The capture of Mokha gives Iran another potential foothold to influence shipping through the Red Sea. Analysts warned that the Houthis could increase threats to commercial vessels, including the possible deployment of naval mines similar to those used by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard in the Strait of Hormuz.
Since late 2023, Houthi attacks have already caused a roughly 60% decline in traffic through the Bab el‑Mandeb, prompting many companies to reroute cargo. A brief resurgence of traffic earlier this year was quickly curtailed as renewed Houthi threats forced Saudi oil shipments to seek alternative routes.
Local Impact in Mokha
Residents reported Houthi forces patrolling the streets and markets shuttered across the city. Mokha resident Amin al‑Mohammdi said roads leading to the city were closed, while Mohamed Salem noted Houthi vehicles on the streets. Three doctors fled the local hospital after it was seized, citing safety concerns.
Many civilians are fleeing south toward Aden, which remains under Saudi‑backed control. The United Nations Security Council received a letter from Yemen’s foreign minister, Afrah al‑Zouba, warning that the Houthi advance could destabilize the region and calling for international action.
International Reactions
U.N. special envoy Hans Grundberg described the development as a “new and more dangerous phase,” urging the global community to address the escalating threat. Saudi Arabia’s U.N. ambassador, Abdulaziz Alwasil, reaffirmed Riyadh’s support for peace in Yemen while warning that the kingdom will take all necessary measures to deter Houthi attacks.
U.S. Minister‑Counselor Jenifer Neidhart warned that those enabling Houthi aggression bear responsibility for its consequences and called for stricter enforcement of U.N. sanctions to cut off resources sustaining the militants.
Yemen’s Ongoing Conflict
The Houthis have fought Yemen’s internationally recognized government since 2014, with Saudi Arabia intervening on the government’s side the following year. Over the summer, the rebels intensified attacks and declared a blockade on Saudi Arabia, further entangling the conflict with Iran’s broader strategy against the United States and its allies.
Yemeni government forces have launched airstrikes targeting Houthi reinforcements west of Taiz, and officials have urged civilians to avoid travel between Taiz and Mokha. Houthi‑controlled Al‑Masirah TV claimed Saudi‑backed forces carried out 40 airstrikes across several provinces, a claim the AP could not independently verify.
Regional Context
The Bab el‑Mandeb’s importance to global oil supplies has grown as Iran’s actions have disrupted shipping through the nearby Strait of Hormuz. Control of Mokha could allow the Houthis, with Iranian support, to further pressure the United States and its allies by threatening a vital chokepoint in global trade.
Experts from the Royal United Services Institute and Chatham House emphasized that the mountainous terrain around Taiz provides the Houthis with a strategic advantage for overseeing Yemen’s west coast, potentially enabling more aggressive actions against commercial shipping.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
