Iran welcomes reported Houthi gains along Yemen’s Red Sea coast
Tehran has praised reported Houthi advances including the capture of Mocha, while stopping short of announcing the closure of the Bab al-Mandeb strait.
Iranian officials and state media have welcomed reported Houthi advances along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, including the capture of the port city of Mocha and nearby coastal sites and islands. Al Jazeera reported that the developments could give the Iran-aligned group closer access to the Bab al-Mandeb, a strategic waterway linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
The reported capture of Mocha on Friday would represent a major setback for Yemen’s internationally recognised government, which the report said would lose direct access to the Red Sea. The extent of Houthi control over the coastline, islands and the waterway has not been independently established in the source material.
Senior Iranian figures, including Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps spokesman Hossein Mohebbi, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref, publicly praised the reported advances. Iran’s state media described the developments as a victory for the Houthi movement and framed them within the country’s broader political confrontation with the United States.
The Houthis seized Sanaa in 2014 and have fought the Western-backed government since then. In 2023, they began attacking vessels in the Red Sea, saying they sought to pressure Israel over the war in Gaza. US, British and Israeli forces have since conducted strikes against Houthi positions.
The Houthis have not declared the Bab al-Mandeb closed. Their military spokesman, Yahya Saree, reportedly said maritime navigation remained safe except for Saudi vessels. Iran’s Foreign Ministry called for negotiations with Riyadh and said the Houthis make their own decisions, rejecting the view that the group should be treated solely as an Iranian proxy.
