The capture of Mokha marks the Houthis’ largest territorial gain since a 2022 cease-fire in Yemen that paused major fighting between the group and Yemen’s government. The Houthis also disrupted shipping in 2024 in response to Israel’s occupation and bombardment of Gaza, which prompted the U.S. and U.K. to carry out deadly strikes on Yemen.
Government forces retreated south toward Dhubab, which overlooks Bab el-Mandeb. Yemen’s government has reportedly launched airstrikes west of Taiz and warned civilians to avoid roads between Taiz and Mokha. Houthi-owned Al-Masirah TV reported that Saudi-backed forces launched 40 airstrikes on the provinces of Taiz, Jawf, Hodeida, and Marib.
Capturing the southwestern port also strengthens the Houthis’ ability to threaten shipping through Bab el-Mandeb, a waterway through which around 12% of global trade normally passes. The strait, which lies between Yemen, Djibouti and Eritrea and links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, has become more important since Iran militarized the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for the U.S. and Israel’s Feb. 28 strikes.
Iran publicly maintains that the Houthis are “not a proxy.” The country’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday that the conflict in Yemen must be resolved through dialogue instead of military action. It also invoked what it called the “expansionism of the Israeli regime with U.S. complicity.”
A Houthi-run body in Yemen that communicates with commercial shipping companies said navigation through Bab el-Mandeb remained safe, except for Saudi vessels.
The capture of Mokha came hours after President Donald Trump on Wednesday suggested that Iran’s government was prolonging the war in an attempt to affect Republican prospects in the U.S. midterm elections in November. He nevertheless insisted Iran is on the verge of collapse and that the war will end “immediately after” the vote.
More shipping disruptions
Saudi Arabia has routed more oil to its Red Sea port of Yanbu after the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. But the Houthis declared a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia on July 20 and began attacking Saudi shipping and energy infrastructure. Saudi crude exports have fallen to their lowest level in 13 years, with production dropping 23% from July to August. Overall vessel traffic through Bab el-Mandeb fell around 24% in the week following the July blockade.
The advance could also force the U.S. to devote military resources towards protecting a second maritime chokepoint and assisting its ally, potentially complicating efforts to limit or swiftly end U.S. involvement in the Middle East.
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