Yemeni rebels aligned with Iran known as Houthi have reportedly captured the strategically located Red Sea coastal city of Mokha following fierce fighting with forces loyal to the Saudi-backed government. This development comes as a serious turn of events in Yemeni war and also poses security threats for the important commercial route of the world. The Houthis claim that they pose no threats to shipping vessels on the sea, but the ships of the Saudis continue to be their targets. They justify their attack due to the military operations of the Saudis and restrictions imposed on their territories.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest News: Houthis Advance Near Bab al-Mandab
The advances by the Houthis have gone past Mokha. According to a military source in Yemen, Houthi militants captured Zuqar Island, which is about 80 kilometers northwest of Mokha, after a rocket and ground attack using boats. Also, pro-government troops withdrew from Perim Island, otherwise referred to as Mayyun, situated in the Bab al-Mandab Strait on Friday. According to local authorities, Houthi militants occupied the island following their withdrawal. The Bab al-Mandab Strait is a vital sea choke point connecting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The Strait is one of the busiest shipping lanes connecting Asia and Europe via the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest News: Residents Flee Mokha
It was claimed that Houthi fighters entered Mokha after clashes on Wednesday night, leading families to flee from their homes. Many of the displaced families reportedly moved east to Aden, which is the seat of the internationally recognized Yemen government and Presidential Leadership Council. “Without any warning, the seizure created panic in the area and forced the population to flee, with scenes of injuries on the ground with no-one there to help,” one resident stated to BBC Arabic. Houthi fighters were reported to be patrolling the streets and government buildings and shops were closed. “At the moment, we do not know what the plans are for Ansar Allah,” he added. “Everyone is concerned about their own safety.”
US-Israel-Iran War Latest News: Saudi Arabia Carries Out Air Strikes
This increase in fighting has coincided with the launch of air raids on Houthi-controlled areas in western Yemen by the Saudi-led coalition.
According to Yahya Sarea, who is the Houthi military spokesman, there were 64 air raids by the Saudi-led coalition on Taiz, Hudaydah, Marib, and Jawf within 24 hours. No comment from the Saudi side has been issued yet regarding the claim.
On the other hand, the Houthis have targeted southern areas in Saudi Arabia with missiles and drones. Saudi sources indicated that in Tuesday’s attacks, 73 civilians were injured and fires occurred in some oil facilities, which caused an interruption in operations.
The Houthis considered these attacks in retaliation for the air raids of the Saudis on Houthi-controlled areas, including an attack on a prison in Hazm, Jawf province, in which at least 23 civilians lost their lives.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest News: Houthis Reassure Shipping Industry
Houthi Supreme Political Council declared that it had the right to defend sovereignty and territorial waters of Yemen at the same time as assuring the international community of the safety of navigation in the Red Sea. Yet, humanitarian operations coordination center of the group mentioned that restrictions on the movement of Saudi ships continue. Such events raised fears about safety of commercial vessels transiting through the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Straits – one of the busiest waterways in the world.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest News: Hundreds Killed, Thousands Displaced
The current attack is believed to have resulted in the deaths of hundreds and displacement of thousands since the Houthis started the operation in the south-western part of Yemen about a week ago.
The Saudi coalition has supported the government of Yemen against the Houthis in the protracted civil war in the region. The unofficial truce which had been in effect for about four years began to break down in July after the Houthis declared “maritime blockade” on Saudi Arabia and initiated missile and drone attacks on Saudi airports and oil installations, as well as on vessels traveling through the Red Sea.
The actions of the Houthis were reportedly in retaliation against the Saudi blockage of ports and airports in the territories under the control of the Houthis and the Saudi air raid on Sanaa airport. The news of the capture of Mokha, Zuqar Island and the advance towards Perim Island could raise additional tensions in the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
