13 hrs ago
Houthis Seize Yemen Port, Raising Threat to Red Sea Shipping
Houthi fighters have taken control of Mokha, a port city in Yemen.
Mokha is close to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a narrow sea route used by many ships.
About 12% of the world’s goods usually pass through that waterway.
People in Mokha said roads and shops were closed and Houthi vehicles were in the streets.
Some doctors and other residents reportedly left the city, but the Associated Press could not independently confirm all of those reports.
The Houthis have also captured another area near an important supply route in Taiz province.
Forces supporting Yemen’s government have carried out airstrikes against Houthi reinforcements.
Experts and international officials warned that the fighting could make shipping more dangerous and worsen Yemen’s conflict.
The Houthis’ control of Mokha could also give Iran more leverage in its conflict with the United States.
The Iran-backed Houthi movement seized Yemen’s port city of Mokha on Thursday, according to Houthi and Yemeni officials.
Mokha is about 80 kilometers from the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, through which roughly 12% of the world’s goods typically move.
The takeover is the Houthis’ biggest territorial gain since a 2022 truce halted a civil war that began more than a decade ago.
Residents reported closed roads and markets, Houthi vehicles throughout the city, and people fleeing south toward Aden; the Associated Press could not independently verify these claims.
The advance has prompted government airstrikes and raised warnings that renewed fighting could endanger Yemeni civilians and Red Sea shipping.
- Who
- The Iran-backed Houthi movement seized Mokha, while Yemen’s internationally recognized government is supported by Saudi-backed and allied forces.
- What
- The Houthis took control of Mokha and reportedly advanced elsewhere in Taiz province, prompting government airstrikes and international warnings.
- Where
- Mokha, in Yemen’s western Taiz province, near the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
- When
- Thursday; the articles do not provide a specific calendar date.
- Why
- Mokha is strategically important because it is near a major shipping route; analysts said the takeover could increase pressure on shipping and give Iran additional leverage.
Houthi Movement
Yemeni Government and Allies
Control of Mokha
Houthi Movement
The Houthis’ political bureau confirmed that the movement had taken Mokha, and residents reported seeing its fighters and vehicles throughout the city.
Yemeni Government and Allies
A commander with the government-allied National Resistance Forces also confirmed the takeover, while government-aligned forces had previously held Mokha.
Military escalation
Houthi Movement
The Houthis reportedly expanded their position by taking al-Shaqira and an important supply route in Taiz province.
Yemeni Government and Allies
Yemeni government forces launched airstrikes against Houthi reinforcements and urged civilians to avoid roads between Taiz and Mokha.
Regional and shipping risks
Houthi Movement
The articles report the Houthis’ advance and attacks on shipping as part of their conflict with Yemen’s government and Saudi Arabia.
Yemeni Government and Allies
Yemeni, Saudi and U.S. officials called for action against the escalation, warning that Houthi attacks could threaten regional security, shipping and energy supplies.
Key facts
- Location
- Mokha, Yemen
- Distance to Bab el-Mandeb
- About 80 kilometers (50 miles)
- Shipping route
- About 12% of the world’s goods typically pass through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
- Territorial significance
- The takeover was described as the Houthis’ biggest territorial gain since the 2022 truce.
- Local conditions
- Residents reported closed roads and markets, Houthi forces across the city, and departures toward Aden.
- Related advance
- Houthi forces reportedly seized al-Shaqira in Taiz province, an important supply route.
- Shipping impact
- Shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb has reportedly fallen by about 60% since Houthi attacks on ships began in late 2023.
- Verification
- The Associated Press could not independently verify residents’ and doctors’ reports about conditions in Mokha.
Quotes
Abdulaziz Alwasil
Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United Nations
“It effectively marks the end of the relative calm that Yemen has experienced for over four years since the U.N.-brokered truce.”
republicworld.com
“take all measures necessary to deter Houthi attacks.”
republicworld.com
Sources
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