Houthi forces have taken control of Yemen’s strategic port city of Mokha, a development that could increase risks for shipping and energy routes near the Red Sea’s Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The takeover was confirmed by a Yemeni government-aligned commander and a Houthi political official.

Mokha is about 80 kilometres from the Bab el-Mandeb, a vital maritime passage that normally carries roughly 12% of global goods. The advance places the Houthis closer to one of the world’s key shipping routes and has raised concerns about the potential impact on commercial vessels and energy movements in the region.

Houthi forces reported across Mokha

Residents said Houthi forces had spread across the city and that markets had closed. Doctors also said they fled a hospital after Houthi fighters seized the facility, underscoring the growing disruption to civilian life as control of the city changed hands.

The reported takeover represents a major territorial advance for the Iran-backed Houthi movement. It also adds to concerns that Yemen’s renewed conflict could expand beyond the country’s borders and affect international trade routes.

The development comes amid continuing instability in Yemen, where the conflict has repeatedly threatened to draw in regional and international actors. The latest advance has intensified attention on the security of shipping lanes linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Appeals for international action

Yemen’s foreign minister appealed to the United Nations Security Council for international action following the takeover. The appeal reflects concerns from the internationally aligned Yemeni government over the strategic importance of Mokha and the wider consequences of the Houthi advance.

The UN envoy for Yemen warned that the renewed conflict could have consequences beyond the country. That warning points to the possibility of wider regional and international repercussions, particularly because of Mokha’s proximity to the Bab el-Mandeb and the volume of goods that normally passes through the waterway.

The available reports did not establish that shipping has already been disrupted as a result of the takeover. Instead, they described a heightened risk to global shipping and energy routes as Houthi forces consolidate their presence in the port city.

The situation remains developing. Further international responses, as well as any changes to maritime activity around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, will determine the broader impact of the takeover on regional security and global trade.