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Iran-backed Houthi rebels have seized control of the strategic port city of Mokha on Yemen’s Red Sea coast, intensifying concerns over global shipping and energy supplies.
Mokha lies near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital maritime chokepoint linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. The waterway is particularly important for global oil and other energy shipments.
The Houthi advance has raised fears that the group could further tighten its grip on the shipping route or target vessels linked to Saudi Arabia.
The development comes as the Strait of Hormuz is already facing severe disruption amid escalating tensions involving Iran and the United States.
The capture of Mokha represents a major strategic gain for the Houthis and could increase pressure on Saudi Arabia’s oil exports.
Brent crude has already risen sharply amid fears of further disruption to regional energy flows.
The latest escalation also threatens to reignite a broader conflict in Yemen, where fighting between Houthi forces and Saudi-backed government forces has intensified in recent days.
