Houthi capture of Mokha port shifts leverage in Red Sea shipping corridor
The reported seizure of the strategic port brings the Iran-backed movement closer to the Bab al-Mandab Strait, intensifying pressure on global energy markets and Saudi export routes.
Military sources indicate that Yemen’s Houthi movement has seized the strategic Red Sea port city of Mokha from Saudi-backed pro-government forces. Footage from the group’s state-aligned broadcaster, Al Masirah TV, purportedly showed fighters in control of the city. The development marks a significant shift in the territorial balance of the ongoing civil war, which has been supported by a Saudi-led coalition for more than a decade.
The capture of Mokha is of particular institutional interest because it brings the Iran-backed group closer to controlling the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a critical shipping route located approximately 75km to the south. This waterway links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and has become increasingly vital for Saudi Arabia’s oil exports following the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to the conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran.
The offensive, which launched a week ago in the south-western coastal region, has reportedly resulted in the deaths of hundreds and the displacement of thousands. The rapid advance suggests a breakdown in the defensive posture of the pro-government forces in the region, raising questions about the sustainability of the Saudi-backed coalition’s support lines.
Concurrently, the conflict has escalated into a broader regional dispute with Saudi Arabia. On Tuesday, Houthi forces launched dozens of drones and missiles at southern Saudi Arabia, injuring 73 civilians and causing fires at several oil facilities. According to Saudi authorities, these incidents led to a temporary halt in operations, directly impacting supply chains and contributing to a surge in global oil prices, which hit $100 a barrel for the first time since July.
The Houthis stated their attacks were in retaliation for dozens of Saudi air strikes on north-western Yemen in recent days. These strikes included an attack on a prison in the town of Hazm in Jawf province, which local officials said killed at least 23 civilians. This tit-for-tat exchange underscores the shifting dynamics from a local civil war to a transnational conflict with significant economic implications.
The current escalation follows the unraveling of a four-year-old informal ceasefire in July. At that time, the Houthis announced a "maritime embargo" against Saudi Arabia, citing a blockade of their ports and airports and an air strike on Sanaa airport. The subsequent attacks on Saudi airports, oil facilities, and tankers in the Red Sea have now culminated in the reported capture of a key port, further complicating the governance and security landscape of the region.
