International Report Warns Houthi Attacks on Mokha Port Threaten Yemen’s Food Security
Aden — A new international assessment released Wednesday warned that recent Houthi militant attacks on Yemen’s Mokha port in western Taiz province have caused severe infrastructure damage, disrupted trade operations, and heightened the risk of food insecurity across the country.
The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), in its food security outlook for August 2026 to January 2027, said strikes on ports and trade routes, combined with escalating military activity, will continue to pressure supply chains and drive up prices.
According to the report, the assaults forced Mokha port to suspend operations, inflicting an estimated $79 million in infrastructure damage. Sixteen people were killed and 22 injured, while thousands of workers and service providers linked to the port lost their livelihoods.
FEWS NET cautioned that disruptions to maritime trade, rising shipping and insurance costs, and Yemen’s heavy reliance on imports will intensify price shocks.
Traffic through the Bab al-Mandab Strait has dropped 24 percent compared to pre-escalation levels, while oil tanker movements fell 42 percent, raising transport costs and supply risks.
The report noted that military escalation in Yemen peaked in June and July, marked by intensified missile, drone, artillery, and ground clashes. It projects emergency-level food insecurity (IPC Phase 4) will persist in Hudaydah, Hajjah, and Taiz, while most other governorates remain in crisis (Phase 3), with pockets of households facing Phase 4 conditions.
Food needs are expected to peak during the dry season through September, with only limited seasonal relief from grain harvests in October. Weak agricultural output and soaring food and fuel prices will sustain consumption gaps, leaving millions vulnerable.
The findings underscore how conflict-driven port disruptions are compounding Yemen’s humanitarian crisis, threatening to push the country deeper into one of the world’s most severe food emergencies.