Houthis seize Yemen's Red Sea port of Mocha

September 10, 2026 at 07:00 PM2 min

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Yemen's Houthi forces seized the Red Sea port city of Mocha on Thursday, expanding their control over the Bab al-Mandeb strait, a key global shipping route. Government forces withdrew as the Iran-backed group took the city and the nearby district of Hais. The advance gives the Houthis additional leverage over the southern entrance to the Red Sea.

Key Facts

Houthi forces seized the Red Sea port city of Mocha on Thursday, according to sources speaking to Al Jazeera and Reuters.
The Houthis also captured the strategic district of Hais during the same advance.
The seizure expands Houthi control over the Bab al-Mandeb strait, a chokepoint for global shipping.
Yemeni government forces have not issued an official confirmation of the city's fall.
Government troops and their allies are redeploying south along the Red Sea coast toward Dhubab, near Perim Island.

The Seizure of Mocha

The Iran-backed Houthi group took over Mocha on Thursday while internationally recognised government forces withdrew, sources told Al Jazeera's Yemen correspondent Yousef Mawry. Three Yemeni government sources also told Reuters that the city had been taken. The Houthis had been pushing west of Taiz for 10 days with the objective of capturing Mocha. The strategic district of Hais was also seized during the advance.

Strategic Significance

Mocha's capture gives the Houthis additional leverage over the Bab al-Mandeb strait, the southern exit from the Red Sea and one of the world's key shipping routes. The Houthis entered the conflict on Iran's side by attacking Israel on March 28. They largely maintained a lull until July, then declared a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia and intensified attacks on the kingdom's south in September. Saudi Arabia has relied more on the Red Sea route since the conflict with Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz.

Government Response

Yemeni government forces and their allies are redeploying south along the Red Sea coast toward Dhubab, located directly at the strait opposite Perim Island. Control of Dhubab and Perim Island is key to holding the strait. The Houthis are also nearing complete control of other coastal cities directly along the strait as they push to take the entire Yemeni Red Sea coast.