Local reports and footage indicate that Iran-backed Houthi forces have taken control of the strategic port of Mocha on Yemen's Red Sea coast, after Saudi-backed forces withdrew from the area. If confirmed, the capture would give the Houthis a territorial foothold near the Bab el-Mandeb strait, a critical global shipping chokepoint.
Saudi-backed forces withdrew from the area around the port of Mocha, facilitating the Houthi takeover, according to reports cited by The Zioneer. The withdrawal, reported on Thursday, allowed the Iran-backed movement to seize the strategic Red Sea port without a major battle, consolidating their hold on the Yemeni coastline near the Bab el-Mandeb strait.
The Zioneer first reported the Houthi capture of Mocha at 04:31 Jerusalem time on Thursday, citing unofficial reports. By 13:00 Jerusalem, Yemeni government officials confirmed the takeover to Reuters, as The Zioneer reported. The capture follows a series of Houthi territorial gains along Yemen's western coast, including the seizure of Camp Khalid and the town of Hayz earlier this week, cutting off the city of Ta'izz from sea access. The group has seized over 2,500 square kilometers along the coast in recent days.
The Houthi movement, armed and funded by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has escalated its regional campaign since declaring an end to its ceasefire with Saudi Arabia. The group has targeted Saudi infrastructure and commercial vessels in the Red Sea, and has integrated into the Iranian-led 'unity of arenas' strategy against Israel and its regional partners, as The Zioneer has reported.
It remains unclear whether the Houthis will continue their advance toward the city of Ta'izz or the coastal town of Dhubab, which were identified as likely next targets in earlier assessments.
10 developments
- DevelopingHouthis seize Hanish Islands group, tightening grip on Red Sea shipping lanes
- StrongHouthi capture of Bab el-Mandeb coast could enable full strait blockade, The Zioneer assesses
- StrongHouthis declared naval siege on Bab el-Mandeb last week, sparking Saudi confrontation
- StrongHouthis capture three villages and strategic heights in southward Red Sea coast advance
Source and signal
- Open-source intake