The Iran-backed Houthi rebels have seized Yemen's vital port city of Mokha, a move that puts them in a stronger position to control shipping through the Red Sea. Houthi and Yemeni officials confirmed the takeover on Thursday, marking a significant territorial gain for the rebels since a truce was signed back in 2022. This is the biggest win for the Houthis since that ceasefire, and it’s got everyone talking about what comes next.
Mokha sits about 50 miles from the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a choke point for roughly 12% of the world's goods. Think of it like a very important doorway for global trade, and now the Houthis are standing right in front of it. Its importance has only grown because shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has been difficult due to Iran's ongoing conflict with the U.S. and Israel.
While the Houthis largely stayed out of the main Iran-U.S. war, they've been busy this summer. They've ramped up attacks on Yemen's internationally recognized government and even declared a blockade on Saudi Arabia. These actions, while partly driven by their own fight against the Saudis, also serve Iran's interests by putting pressure on America's allies and giving Tehran more leverage.
Ahmed Baash, a commander with the National Resistance Forces loyal to the Yemeni government, and Hazam al-Assad, a member of the Houthi political bureau, both confirmed the fall of Mokha. Residents of the city said Houthi forces were visible everywhere on Thursday, and that shops were shut. Three doctors who fled a Mokha hospital after it was taken by the Houthis told The Associated Press that other residents were heading south towards Aden, which is still held by Saudi-backed forces. The doctors asked not to be named because they were afraid for their safety.
The Houthis have been fighting Yemen's government since 2014, when they swept down from their northern strongholds and took over much of the country. Saudi Arabia jumped into the war the next year to support the government. This latest advance is part of recent Houthi gains in Taiz province, where Mokha is located. They've also taken control of the al-Shaqira area, which was an important supply route for government forces in southern Hodeida. The mountainous terrain around Taiz gives the Houthis a strategic advantage, overlooking the Yemeni coast.
Experts suggest they could even lay mines in the Red Sea, much like Iran has done in the Strait of Hormuz, making shipping even riskier.
This move by the Houthis could give Iran a serious advantage in its negotiations with the U.S., according to Farea al-Muslimi, a research fellow at Chatham House who focuses on Yemen and the Gulf. Shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb has already seen a major drop – about 60% since late 2023 when the Houthis started attacking vessels. Many shipping companies have already abandoned the route. Even when Saudi Arabia tried to reroute its oil through the Red Sea port of Yanbu earlier this year, renewed Houthi threats put a stop to that. The U.N. special envoy for Yemen warned at an emergency Security Council meeting on Thursday that "this renewed war should alarm us all."