Houthi forces seize Mocha port in Yemen

The Houthi movement has seized control of the city and port of Mocha on Yemen’s western coast, following the end of the 2022 truce. Presidential Leadership Council advisor Nasr Taha Mustafa stated that the Houthi offensive aims to secure the western coast and reach the Bab al-Mandab Strait, aligning with broader Iranian strategic interests during heightened US-Iran tensions.

According to Mustafa, the Houthi forces utilized massive human and fire power to overcome resistance from the National Resistance forces led by Tariq Saleh. The seizure of the Khalid bin Al-Walid camp was a decisive moment that forced government forces to withdraw and reposition south to avoid encirclement.

Mustafa characterized the Houthi control of Mocha as temporary and warned that Yemen is entering a period of wide-scale, open military confrontations that will shape the country’s political and security landscape for decades. Government forces are reportedly reorganizing to launch a counter-offensive to reclaim the coastal cities and the strait.