Mokha on Yemen’s Red Sea coast in Houthi crosshairs

Serdar Dincel

• Controlled by government, Mokha comes under Houthi attacks as it became key battleground in Yemen’s conflict

The Port of Mokha on Yemen’s Red Sea coast has dominated headlines after a deadly Houthi attack that killed at least seven people and injured dozens on Sunday.

One of Yemen’s major seaports, Mokha in the western Taiz province is located near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the gateway to the Red Sea on the opposite side of the Arabian Peninsula from the Strait of Hormuz. It is controlled by Yemen’s internationally recognized government.

The strategic port has recently emerged as a flashpoint in the raging conflict between government forces, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, and the Iran-allied Houthis.

Sunday’s Houthi attack damaged parts of the quay and facilities used to service ships and handle cargo and livestock as well as residential neighborhoods.

The same port came under a similar Houthi strike in September 2021, damaging operational facilities and food warehouses.

Anadolu explains the strategic importance of Mokha in Yemen’s wider conflict.

Strategically important

Mokha is a port city on Yemen’s western Red Sea coast in Taiz province.

Its location carries a strategic significance, as it lies near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a vital maritime chokepoint linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and carrying a significant share of global maritime trade.

While the Houthis control most of Yemen’s Red Sea coast, including much of Al Hudaydah province, Mokha remains under the control of government forces.

Due to its proximity to the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the Houthi group regards the port as a strategic link for its military and maritime capabilities.

For the Yemeni government, maintaining control of Mokha prevents the Houthis from extending their control farther south along Yemen’s western coastline.

The port also provides government forces with a strategic coastal base from which they can monitor and operate along the western front.

Red Sea shipping

The Houthis view the Mokha port as an important base for their military operations. From this area, they can carry out attacks on ships transiting the Red Sea and enforce a naval blockade the group has declared on Saudi shipping.

Mokha’s strategic location makes it a key battleground in Yemen’s conflict, with implications not only for the balance of power along the western coast but also for wider regional security and vital maritime trade routes.

Fighting has periodically intensified along several Yemeni fronts since last month, leaving dozens of people dead and wounded on both sides.

Yemen had been under a relative lull since April 2022 after nearly 12 years of war between government forces, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, and the Iranian-backed Houthis, who seized control of the capital, Sanaa, and large parts of the country in 2014.

Since late 2023, after the Gaza war began, the Houthis have become increasingly involved in regional hostilities, launching attacks on Israel and commercial shipping in the Red Sea, while recent renewed fighting has raised fears of a return to full-scale conflict in Yemen.