Yemen’s Houthi forces have seized control of the strategic Red Sea port city of Mocha, also known as Al Mokha, bringing them closer to the vital Bab el-Mandeb Strait, according to Yemeni government military sources cited by Reuters.
Mocha’s location makes the development particularly significant. The city lies near the Bab el-Mandeb, a crucial maritime passage connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean and serving as an important route for global trade and energy shipments.
The Houthi advance has intensified fighting with Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces. Reports indicate that government forces and their allies are repositioning farther south as the Houthis seek to strengthen their position along Yemen’s western coast.
Separately, reports have emerged of an armed attack and siege targeting the convoy of Yemeni Defense Minister Tahir Al-Aqili in Al-Dhalea. Some reports claimed that the minister was taken hostage, but that claim has not been independently confirmed.
The latest escalation is raising fears that Yemen’s fragile calm since the 2022 truce could collapse and that the country could slide back into a wider conflict.
