Yemen’s Houthis seized control of the historic port city of Mocha on Thursday, four Yemeni government military sources told Reuters, extending the rebels’ reach over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, one of the world’s busiest shipping routes.
The capture gives the Iran-aligned group added leverage over the narrow passage linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, through which a large share of global maritime trade passes. Government forces and their allies were relocating south to Dhubab, a coastal town that sits directly on the strait.
The Houthis were also launching attacks on the Red Sea islands of Hanish, the government sources said. Dhubab lies across from the islands, near the mouth of the waterway that separates the Arabian Peninsula from the Horn of Africa.
Fighting has escalated across several fronts as forces loyal to the UN-recognised government and the Houthis each press to expand their territory. The government accused the rebels of killing three children in recent attacks. The Houthis, in turn, said Saudi forces carried out 54 air raids over a 12-hour period.
The renewed clashes triggered alerts inside Saudi Arabia, which has intervened in Yemen’s war for years. Cross-border strikes and missile fire between the two sides have continued to flare along the frontier, drawing in outside powers.
Mocha, once a centre of the global coffee trade, holds strategic value for its position on the southwestern coast. Control of the port and the surrounding islands strengthens the Houthis’ ability to project power over Red Sea shipping lanes, where commercial vessels have faced repeated attacks.
The Bab el-Mandeb Strait, roughly 30 kilometres wide at its narrowest point, funnels cargo and energy shipments between Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Disruptions there ripple through global supply chains and insurance costs for shippers.
The multiple fronts reflect a broader contest for territory rather than a single decisive battle. Each side is manoeuvring to consolidate coastal and inland positions ahead of any further negotiations.
No date has been set for renewed talks between the warring parties.