Houthi forces say they have seized Mocha as Yemen fighting widens

Yemen’s Houthi rebels say they have taken control of the strategic port of Mocha in Taiz province, alongside the inland city of Hays and the Khalid ibn al-Walid military camp. The claims came during the most intense fighting with the Saudi-backed Yemeni government since a UN-sponsored ceasefire in April 2022 ended major military exchanges.

The reported advances are part of a wider Houthi effort to control more of Yemen’s Red Sea coast, while Saudi Arabia continues airstrikes and government forces acknowledge a retreat south of Mocha to regroup. The status of the reported territorial gains remains based on claims and statements from the opposing sides.

Why Mocha matters to the wider conflict

Control of more of the coast south of Hodeidah could give the Houthis greater leverage over Saudi Arabia and the United States, according to the factual account. The area sits near the Bab al-Mandeb, the southern Red Sea chokepoint, while the conflict is also linked to pressure around the Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf.

A coastal advance would therefore affect a major maritime route and deepen concerns in Saudi Arabia and the US about Iran and its proxies gaining influence near shipping routes on both sides of the Arabian Peninsula. The fighting has already been associated with oil prices rising above $100 a barrel, after weeks closer to $80.

Key points

• The fighting has spread across Ad Dali, al-Bayda, Marib, Shabwah, al-Jawf, Hodeidah and Taiz.
• Acled estimated 276 fatalities between 3 and 7 September.
• A Houthi-linked estimate said the rebels had gained more than 2,320 square miles (6,000 sq km).
• Saudi Arabia launched as many as 40 airstrikes on Houthi targets on Thursday, after at least 15 strikes between 3 and 7 September.

What the opposing forces say

Maj Gen Tareq Saleh, commander of Yemeni government forces, said he had ordered a strategic retreat south of Mocha so his forces could regroup in a secure location. He said western-coast forces had suffered deaths and injuries while confronting what he described as an Iranian-backed Houthi attack.

Government sources acknowledged Houthi ground advances along the coast and missile strikes on the Red Sea islands of Zuqar and Hanish. Saudi forces have continued using air superiority against Houthi positions, while fighting has also left the rebels stretched across multiple fronts in some areas.

The Houthis are seeking to exploit political divisions within the Yemeni government and the absence of an integrated military, according to the account. The United Arab Emirates withdrew financial and military support for southern forces at the turn of the year, and those forces have refused to fight outside their own region. For additional context, see “Government warplanes strike Houthi positions in Yemen fighting”.

Why further escalation is expected

The Royal United Services Institute said the situation was spiralling out of control and said the UN-recognised Yemeni government was opening new fronts to increase pressure on the Houthis. Acled Yemen analyst Sherwan Hindreen Ali said a reduction in hostilities appeared unlikely because both sides were escalating in pursuit of a compromise forced by military damage.

The latest escalation followed Houthi attacks on Saudi energy installations and southern cities using drones and ballistic missiles. It also followed a dispute after Saudi Arabia refused to allow a Houthi delegation’s Iranian aircraft to land in rebel-controlled Sana’a and bombed the runway, after which the Houthis announced a Red Sea naval blockade of Saudi Arabia.

The Mecca defence agreement, signed by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey, has come under scrutiny. The pact is described as defensive and is considered unlikely to cover Saudi military activity in Yemen, leaving it unclear whether Riyadh will seek military assistance under the agreement.

What happens next

The fighting is expected to remain focused on the Red Sea coast around Hodeidah and Taiz, where both sides seek control of territory affecting access to the Bab al-Mandeb, according to Acled analyst Sherwan Hindreen Ali.