Iran-backed Houthi fighters have reportedly entered the strategic Yemeni port city of Mokha, bringing the group closer to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, one of the world’s most important maritime trade routes.
The development was reported on Thursday, September 10, amid renewed fighting in Yemen and growing tensions across the Middle East. Mokha had previously been controlled by forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
The capture of areas around Mokha is significant because of the city’s location near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a narrow waterway connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. The route is heavily used by commercial vessels travelling between Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
The Houthis have also reportedly taken control of the al-Shaqira area in Taiz province, strengthening their position along Yemen’s western coastline. Fighting and airstrikes have continued around other parts of the country, including near Hodeida.
The latest development comes as the wider Middle East faces heightened military tensions involving Iran, Israel and the United States. The situation has already disrupted major shipping routes, with concerns growing over the security of vessels travelling through both the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz.
The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is particularly important to global trade because ships using the route can avoid the much longer journey around the southern tip of Africa. Any sustained disruption could therefore increase shipping times, insurance costs and the prices of goods transported internationally.
The situation is also being closely monitored by energy markets. Reuters reports that attacks and disruptions around major Gulf shipping routes have contributed to a sharp rise in crude oil prices, with Brent crude trading above $100 per barrel.
The advance by the Houthis therefore adds another layer of uncertainty to an already volatile regional crisis, with concerns that further disruption could affect international trade and energy supplies.
