Houthis fire ballistic missiles at Yemen’s Mokha port

Yemen’s Houthi group fired four ballistic missiles late Wednesday, three targeting Mokha port in Taiz province and a fourth falling inside Khokha city in neighboring Hodeidah province, according to Yemen’s official SABA news agency.

Attacks on Mokha port

The missiles were launched from Houthi-controlled areas in Jabal Oman east of Taiz city, a military source told SABA. No casualties or damage were immediately reported from the strikes on the Red Sea coast facilities, though state-run SABA TV cited sources saying the Houthis targeted Mokha city, its port and areas in Khokha without providing further details. SABA reported that the attack came amid repeated Houthi targeting of Mokha port and civilian facilities along the western coast of Taiz province.

The Yemeni government has accused the Houthis of striking Mokha port and residential areas in recent days, saying previous attacks caused casualties among civilians and government forces at civilian facilities. The Iran-backed group has said it targeted concentrations and vehicles belonging to government forces, stating it carried out several attacks on the strategic port in recent days.

Renewed fighting after 2022 lull

Yemen had experienced relative calm since 2022 following years of war between government forces and the Houthis, who seized control of much of the country — including the capital, Sanaa — in 2014. Fighting resumed early last month in several parts of Yemen, including Marib in central Yemen, Al-Jawf in the north, and Al-Dhale and Taiz in the southwest, ending months of de facto truce.

A Saudi-led coalition supports Yemen’s Aden-based government and its armed forces against the Houthis. Iran is accused of supporting the group, which announced a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia in July and has carried out attacks on Israel and Israel-linked shipping in the Red Sea since the start of Israel’s genocide in Gaza in late 2023.