Azernews.Az

AzerNEWS Staff

Read more

Iran-backed Houthi forces have seized the strategic Yemeni port city of Mocha on the Red Sea coast, marking a major advance towards the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and raising fresh concerns over the security of one of the world's most important shipping routes.

The capture of Mocha represents the Houthis' most significant territorial gain since the 2022 UN-brokered truce and gives the group a stronger position along Yemen's western coastline.

The advance comes as fighting between the Houthis and forces aligned with Yemen's internationally recognised government has intensified. Houthi forces have also expanded their presence in areas around Hodeidah and the Hanish Islands, further strengthening their position along the Red Sea.

The strategic importance of Mocha lies in its proximity to Bab el-Mandeb, the narrow maritime passage connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. The waterway is a crucial route for trade between Asia and Europe through the Suez Canal and is also important for global energy shipments. Reuters estimates that around 7% of global oil output passes through the strait.

The latest Houthi advance comes amid a wider escalation in the Middle East, with shipping through other strategic waterways already severely disrupted. A renewed Houthi campaign around Bab el-Mandeb could put additional pressure on global shipping and energy markets.

The Houthis have previously attacked commercial vessels in the Red Sea, forcing many shipping companies to reroute vessels around the Cape of Good Hope. Traffic through Bab el-Mandeb has fallen sharply since the attacks began in late 2023.

The development also increases pressure on Saudi Arabia, which has been backing Yemen's internationally recognised government. Saudi forces have launched airstrikes against Houthi positions as the group has advanced along the western coast.

The latest escalation raises fears that Yemen's fragile truce could collapse completely and that the conflict could return to a broader war.

It also risks opening another front in the wider regional confrontation involving Iran, the United States and their respective allies. Control of additional territory around Bab el-Mandeb would give the Houthis greater leverage over maritime traffic and potentially strengthen Iran's ability to exert pressure on another major global shipping chokepoint.