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Yemen’s Houthi movement has seized the strategic Red Sea port city of Mokha from Saudi-backed pro-government forces, according to military sources.
The capture could strengthen the Houthis’ position along Yemen’s western coast. It also brings the Iran-backed group closer to the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
The vital waterway lies about 75km south of Mokha. It connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and serves as a major global shipping route.
The fighting has intensified over the past week. Hundreds of people have reportedly died, while thousands have fled their homes.
The latest advance also comes amid a wider escalation between the Houthis and neighbouring Saudi Arabia. The conflict has added pressure to global energy markets and contributed to higher oil prices.
Mokha holds major strategic importance because of its location on Yemen’s Red Sea coast.
Control of the city could give the Houthis greater influence over maritime activity near the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
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The strait connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. Ships use the route to move between the Mediterranean-linked Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.
Any further escalation near the waterway could increase concerns over global trade and energy supplies.
The conflict has also spread across the border.
On Tuesday, the Houthis launched dozens of drones and missiles toward southern Saudi Arabia, according to Saudi authorities.
The attacks injured 73 civilians and caused fires at several oil facilities. The damage forced a temporary halt to operations at the affected sites.
The Houthis said the attacks came in response to Saudi air strikes in north-western Yemen.
Local officials said one Saudi strike hit a prison in Hazm, in Jawf province. They reported at least 23 civilian deaths.
Saudi authorities and the Houthis have given competing accounts of the recent escalation.
A Saudi-led coalition of Arab states has supported Yemen’s internationally recognised government against the Houthis for more than a decade.
The conflict has created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
An informal ceasefire lasted for about four years. However, tensions began rising again in July.
The Houthis then announced what they called a “maritime embargo” against Saudi Arabia.
The group subsequently launched missile and drone attacks against Saudi airports, oil facilities and tankers in the Red Sea.
The Houthis said Saudi restrictions on ports and airports in areas under their control prompted the attacks.
They also blamed Saudi Arabia for an air strike on Sanaa airport.
The Red Sea has become increasingly important for Saudi Arabia’s oil exports.
The shift follows the wider conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran. The fighting has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf.
The resulting disruption has affected global energy markets.
The latest Houthi advance in Mokha could add another layer of uncertainty for shipping companies and energy traders.
Further fighting around Yemen’s western coast could also increase concerns about the security of one of the world’s key maritime corridors.
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