Yemen's Houthi forces, also known as Ansar Allah, have seized control of the strategic Red Sea port city of Mocha, or al-Makha, in western Yemen, marking a major development in the country's prolonged conflict.
The takeover followed the fall of the nearby Khalid bin Walid military base and the al-Wazi'iyah district, allowing Houthi fighters to advance towards Mocha with relatively limited resistance. The capture represents a significant setback for forces aligned with Yemen's internationally recognised government, Al Jazeera reported.
Pro-government forces, including units from the National Resistance, Giants Brigades and Nation's Shield, reportedly suffered casualties during days of intense fighting before withdrawing south of Mocha towards Dhubab, Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council Vice Chairman Tareq Saleh said. An alternative command centre is being established as the forces regroup.
Mocha's location gives the Houthis greater strategic leverage along Yemen's Red Sea coastline. The city lies roughly 50 miles (80km) from the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, one of the world's most important maritime chokepoints linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
The seizure could further restrict government-held territory by cutting several important supply routes, including the key road connecting Mocha and Taiz. This may complicate the movement of personnel, weapons and supplies for pro-government forces operating in western Yemen.
Severe shipping disruptions in both the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz kept Brent crude prices above $100 per barrel on Thursday. In response, Saudi Arabia is rerouting millions of daily barrels via Yanbu, its northern Red Sea port, to circumvent the contested Strait of Hormuz.
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Connecting Yemen to Djibouti and Eritrea, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea's "Gate of Tears", is a critical southern chokepoint. Controlling this narrow passage grants major strategic leverage to the Houthis. It serves as a vital global corridor, funneling Gulf crude and Asian-bound cargo, including Russian oil, toward the Suez Canal and key Mediterranean pipelines.
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