MOCHA, Yemen —(HornPost) Iran-aligned Houthi forces have seized Yemen’s strategic Red Sea port city of Mocha and advanced toward the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, marking a major escalation in the country’s conflict and raising new concerns over one of the world’s most important maritime trade routes.
Reuters reported Thursday that Houthi forces had taken control of Mocha and advanced toward the strategically important Hanish Islands.
Yemeni government military sources said Saudi-backed forces were withdrawing south toward Dhubab, a town located near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the island of Perim.
The Associated Press separately reported that Houthi fighters had entered Mocha, citing residents and local doctors. AP said it could not independently verify the reports at the time of publication. The developments came after days of heavy fighting along Yemen’s western coast.
Mocha, located roughly 80 kilometers from Bab el-Mandeb, has long been strategically important because of its position along the Red Sea coast. Control of the surrounding coastline and approaches could give the Houthis greater ability to threaten shipping moving between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
Saudi-backed forces under pressure
The latest offensive has exposed serious weaknesses among forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognized government.
Local Yemeni reports said Saudi-backed forces had withdrawn from positions around Hays and the Khalid ibn al-Walid military camp, while other forces were reportedly repositioning toward Mocha and farther south.
Reuters reported that government forces were relocating toward Dhubab, which sits directly on the strategic maritime corridor. The area is close to Perim Island, whose location gives it significant importance for control of traffic through Bab el-Mandeb.
The scale of the Houthi advance has raised fears that the group could eventually establish a stronger military position around the Bab el-Mandeb approaches. However, reports that the Houthis have already achieved full control of the strait have not been independently confirmed.
Why Bab el-Mandeb matters
Bab el-Mandeb, meaning “Gate of Tears,” connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the wider Indian Ocean. The waterway is a critical route for energy shipments and international trade, linking the Arabian Peninsula with East Africa and providing access to the Suez Canal.
Any sustained disruption could have consequences well beyond Yemen, particularly for shipping, energy markets, insurance costs and global supply chains.
The latest fighting is also unfolding as the wider Middle East faces heightened tensions. Reuters reported Thursday that oil prices climbed above $100 a barrel amid concerns over disruption to major maritime energy routes.
The Galaxy Leader and the Red Sea shipping crisis
The current threat to maritime security also recalls the Houthi seizure of the Galaxy Leader in November 2023.
The Bahamas-flagged vehicle carrier was hijacked by Houthi fighters in the Red Sea on Nov. 19, 2023, approximately 50 nautical miles west of Hodeidah, according to the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence. The ship’s 25-member crew was taken hostage.
The seizure became a defining moment in the subsequent Red Sea shipping crisis. Houthi attacks on commercial vessels forced numerous shipping companies to avoid the Red Sea and take longer routes around Africa, increasing transit times, insurance costs and transportation expenses.
The crew of the Galaxy Leader was eventually released in January 2025 following mediation by Oman, although the vessel itself remained under Houthi control. AP reported that the Houthis had subsequently attacked more than 100 commercial vessels during the broader maritime campaign.
A new strategic turning point
The capture of Mocha, if consolidated, would represent a significant strategic development in Yemen’s war. It would place Houthi forces closer to the southern Red Sea and increase pressure on the forces defending the approaches to Bab el-Mandeb.
For Saudi Arabia and other regional governments, the development creates a new security challenge. For international shipping, it raises the possibility of renewed disruption along a maritime corridor already affected by previous Houthi attacks.
The immediate question is whether Houthi forces can consolidate their gains around Mocha and advance toward Dhubab and the Bab el-Mandeb approaches, or whether Saudi-backed forces can establish a new defensive line farther south.
For now, the battle for Yemen’s western coast has entered a potentially decisive phase.
Prepared by
Hornpost staff
www.hornpost.com
HARGEISA, Somaliland
