Houthi rebels have successfully seized the port city of Mocha along the Red Sea coast in an effort to expand their influence and control the strategically important Red Sea shipping route, supporting Iran against the United States.
Foreign news agencies reported on 10 Sep 2026 GMT+7 that the Houthi rebels in Yemen have escalated their fighting to the largest scale in years by capturing the port cities of Mocha and Hays, along with key military bases, expanding their controlled territory by more than 6,000 square kilometers.
Mocha is located about 80 kilometers from the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a strategic waterway connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, through which approximately 12% of global oil and other goods are transported.
The Houthis aim to control the entire Red Sea coast to open a second front in the Iran-US conflict and to pressure the US to lift its blockade on Iranian ports and oil tankers.
The latest Houthi advances have renewed concerns over oil transport security, adding to the situation at the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has blocked for nearly six months, driving crude oil prices above 100 US dollars per barrel.
Major General Tareq Saleh, commander of Yemen’s government forces, acknowledged that his troops have made a strategic retreat to regroup after heavy attacks, despite Saudi Arabia conducting over 40 airstrikes in support.
The conflict in Yemen has intensified since July after Saudi Arabia bombed a runway to block Iranian flights, prompting the Houthis to declare a naval blockade and to attack Saudi refineries and border cities using drones and missiles.
Meanwhile, the Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia, which has supported Yemen's government, faces internal divisions and the withdrawal of the United Arab Emirates, while Saudi Arabia's defense agreements with Pakistan and Turkey may not fully cover operations in Yemen.
Analysts predict that fighting along the Red Sea coast will continue fiercely as both sides vie to control this vital global shipping route.
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Source:The Guardian