Yemen government forces claim strikes on Houthi positions in Mocha after rebel capture

After a week-long Houthi offensive that captured the Red Sea city of Mocha, Yemen’s armed forces said they destroyed rebel vehicles and weapons near the port, according to government news agency Saba. Spokesman Majed Abdullah al-Nazili reported shelling on the Mocha-Dhubab road, 11 kilometres from the city, and cautioned civilians against using the Taiz-Mocha and Mocha-Dhubab highways. Houthi media claimed two Saudi strikes hit Mocha’s airport, while a local official said the seaport was struck by six missiles of unknown origin.

The fighting, part of the renewed phase of Yemen’s civil war, has killed more than 500 people and forced about 46,000 residents to flee, the UN migration agency reported. The battle for Mocha strengthens the Houthis’ control of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a key route for Saudi oil exports while the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.