The Iran-backed Houthi rebel group has seized Yemen’s strategic port city of Mokha, according to Houthi and Yemeni officials, creating a new staging ground that escalates threats to international maritime trade passing through the Red Sea.
Advancing on a Vital Global Trade Corridor
The advance places the militant group roughly 80 kilometers (50 miles) from the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital maritime corridor connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden through which approximately 12% of global commerce moves. The takeover was confirmed to The Associated Press by Hazam al-Assad, a member of the Houthis’ political bureau, and Ahmed Baash, a commander with the National Resistance Forces allied with Yemen’s government.
Displacement and Stilled Streets in Mokha
Mokha represents the largest territorial gain for the Houthis since the signing of a 2022 truce that temporarily froze a civil war which began over a decade ago. Residents in the port city reported seeing Houthi vehicles patrolling the streets while local markets and shops remained shuttered. Three doctors recounted to The Associated Press that they fled a Mokha hospital following its seizure by rebel forces, joining other residents traveling south toward Aden, an area controlled by Saudi-backed forces.
Taiz Advances Sever Government Supply Lines
The seizure follows recent Houthi advances in the western province of Taiz, where Mokha is situated. Ahmed al-Mawazi, a trooper with the Yemeni armed forces, and Abdel Kader al-Sharabi, a member of the Saudi-backed forces supporting the government, stated that the rebels had captured the al-Shaqira area in Taiz, cutting off a critical supply line for government forces stationed in south Hodeida. Baraa Shiban, an associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute in London, noted that the mountainous terrain around Taiz provides the group with a commanding strategic vantage point overlooking Yemen’s western coastline.
Shifting Leverage Amid Regional Conflict
Analysts suggest the port takeover grants Iran an additional mechanism of leverage amid its ongoing conflict with the United States. The strategic importance of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait has intensified as shipping through the nearby Strait of Hormuz has faced continuous disruption during the war involving Iran, the United States, and Israel. While the Houthis initially remained on the periphery of that broader regional conflict, the group intensified military operations over the summer against Yemen’s internationally recognized government and declared a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia.
New Hazards for Regional Shipping Lanes
Security analysts warn that the rebel presence in Mokha introduces new hazards to regional shipping lanes. Shiban indicated that the group could potentially complicate maritime traffic by deploying sea mines in the Red Sea, mirroring tactics previously utilized by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard in the Strait of Hormuz.
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