Houthis seize strategic Yemeni port city near Bab el-Mandeb

Iran-backed Houthi forces have seized the strategic Yemeni port
city of Mocha on the Red Sea coast, marking a major advance towards
the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and raising fresh concerns over the
security of one of the world’s most important shipping routes.

The capture of Mocha represents the Houthis’ most significant
territorial gain since the 2022 UN-brokered truce and gives the
group a stronger position along Yemen’s western coastline.

The advance comes as fighting between the Houthis and forces
aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognised government has
intensified. Houthi forces have also expanded their presence in
areas around Hodeidah and the Hanish Islands, further strengthening
their position along the Red Sea.

The strategic importance of Mocha lies in its proximity to Bab
el-Mandeb, the narrow maritime passage connecting the Red Sea with
the Gulf of Aden. The waterway is a crucial route for trade between
Asia and Europe through the Suez Canal and is also important for
global energy shipments. Reuters estimates that around 7% of global
oil output passes through the strait.

The latest Houthi advance comes amid a wider escalation in the
Middle East, with shipping through other strategic waterways
already severely disrupted. A renewed Houthi campaign around Bab
el-Mandeb could put additional pressure on global shipping and
energy markets.

The Houthis have previously attacked commercial vessels in the
Red Sea, forcing many shipping companies to reroute vessels around
the Cape of Good Hope. Traffic through Bab el-Mandeb has fallen
sharply since the attacks began in late 2023.

The development also increases pressure on Saudi Arabia, which
has been backing Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
Saudi forces have launched airstrikes against Houthi positions as
the group has advanced along the western coast.

The latest escalation raises fears that Yemen’s fragile truce
could collapse completely and that the conflict could return to a
broader war.

It also risks opening another front in the wider regional
confrontation involving Iran, the United States and their
respective allies. Control of additional territory around Bab
el-Mandeb would give the Houthis greater leverage over maritime
traffic and potentially strengthen Iran’s ability to exert pressure
on another major global shipping chokepoint.