Yemeni forces strike Houthi fighters near Mocha after Red Sea coast seizure

September 12, 2026 at 04:57 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Yemeni government forces launched air strikes on Houthi fighters near the Red Sea port of Mocha on Saturday, destroying vehicles and killing members of the group. The strikes came after the Houthis seized Mocha and the island of Mayun, completing their control of the Bab al-Mandeb strait. Saudi Arabia temporarily closed its East-West oil pipeline after a drone attack on Friday.

Key Facts

Yemeni government forces destroyed Houthi vehicles and weapons and killed members of the group near the port of Mocha, according to the state news agency Saba.
The Houthis captured the city of Mocha on Thursday and the island of Mayun on Friday, completing their hold on the Bab al-Mandeb strait.
Saudi Arabia temporarily closed its 1,200km East-West oil pipeline after a drone attack on Friday.
Iraq's parliament speaker Haybat al-Halbousi condemned the use of Iraqi territory for the drone attack, calling it unacceptable.
US President Donald Trump said the Houthis asked Washington not to intervene, while the head of US Central Command is in Saudi Arabia for talks.

Government Air Strikes

Yemeni government forces launched air strikes on Houthi fighters along the Red Sea coast after the group seized full control of the strategic shoreline. The government news agency Saba reported that the armed forces destroyed vehicles and weapons and killed members of the Houthi militia near the port of Mocha. Spokesperson Majed Abdullah al-Nazili said strikes also hit Houthi vehicles and members on the Mocha-Dhubab road, 11km from the city.

Houthi Advance

The Houthis captured the city of Mocha on Thursday and the island of Mayun on Friday, completing their hold on the Bab al-Mandeb strait. The Bab al-Mandeb strait is a narrow waterway vital to global oil shipping. The country witnessed a sharp military escalation across several fronts on Saturday, particularly along the western coast.

Regional Reactions

Saudi Arabia temporarily closed its critical East-West oil pipeline, a 1,200km conduit stretching across the Arabian Peninsula, after it was attacked by drones on Friday. The drones were reported to have been launched from Iraq, where an investigation is under way, and no group has claimed responsibility. Iraq's parliament speaker Haybat al-Halbousi condemned the use of Iraqi territory for the attack, calling it unacceptable and out of step with the country's policies. US President Donald Trump said the Houthis called Washington and do not want to fight, while the head of US Central Command is in Saudi Arabia for talks on the advances.