The Iran-aligned group’s capture of the strategic port moves its forces closer to Bab el-Mandeb as oil prices remain above $100 and regional fighting widens.
Iran-aligned Houthi forces have seized Yemen’s historic Red Sea port of Mokha, according to Yemeni government military sources, giving the militant group a stronger position near one of the world’s most important shipping routes.
Four government military sources told Reuters that Houthi forces had taken control of the port city Thursday. The Associated Press separately reported that two residents confirmed Houthi forces were throughout the city.
The seizure does not mean the Houthis control the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. But their advance along Yemen’s western coast brings them closer to Dhubab and Perim Island, two positions that sit directly beside the narrow waterway connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.
Government Forces Retreat Toward Dhubab
Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces were retreating south toward Dhubab as the Houthis also launched attacks on the strategic Hanish Islands, military sources told Reuters.
Maj. Gen. Tareq Saleh, who commands government-aligned forces on Yemen’s western coast, acknowledged a “strategic retreat” south of Mokha and said his forces were regrouping after suffering casualties during several days of combat.
The latest fighting is among the most serious in Yemen since a United Nations-brokered truce in 2022 sharply reduced major hostilities without producing a permanent political settlement.
The Houthis seized Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in 2014 and now control the country’s most populous areas and much of the north. Saudi Arabia intervened militarily in 2015 after the internationally recognized government was driven south, beginning years of war that produced one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises.
Why Bab el-Mandeb Matters
Bab el-Mandeb—often translated as the “Gate of Tears”—lies between Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula and Djibouti and Eritrea on the African coast. Ships traveling between the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean through the Red Sea and Suez Canal must pass through the strait.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimated that about 4.2 million barrels per day of crude oil and petroleum products passed through Bab el-Mandeb during the first half of 2025. Disruptions force ships onto the much longer route around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope, adding time, fuel use and transportation costs.
The stakes are higher because shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has already fallen sharply during the widening Iran conflict. Preliminary tracking data cited by Reuters showed only seven vessels transited Hormuz Wednesday, while 28 commodity ships passed through Bab el-Mandeb.
Saudi Arabia has increasingly relied on its Red Sea port of Yanbu to move crude oil around the disrupted Hormuz route. Houthi control closer to Bab el-Mandeb could place greater pressure on that alternative and on commercial traffic moving between Asia and Europe.
Brent crude remained above $100 per barrel Thursday amid concerns about threats to both waterways. The seizure of Mokha does not establish that Bab el-Mandeb has been closed or that the Houthis can control all traffic through it, but it raises the risk of further attacks and higher shipping costs.
Iran-Aligned Forces Expand the Conflict
The Houthis are part of Iran’s regional “Axis of Resistance” and have attacked Israel, Saudi Arabia and commercial vessels with missiles and drones. They resumed attacks on Red Sea shipping and Saudi targets during the current conflict involving Iran and the United States.
In video verified by Reuters, Houthi fighters celebrating recent territorial gains chanted “Death to America, death to Israel.” Saudi Arabia said Houthi attacks in recent days wounded 73 people, including women and children, after civilian and economic sites in the kingdom were targeted.
Pakistan has conveyed a Saudi warning urging Iran to restrain the Houthis, according to Saudi, Pakistani and Iranian sources cited by Reuters. Iran maintains that it does not control the group, although Reuters reported that two Iranian sources said Tehran had encouraged recent attacks and promised added support.
The renewed fighting also threatens civilians inside Yemen. Years of war have damaged infrastructure, displaced families and left millions dependent upon humanitarian assistance. Any return to full-scale conflict would deepen those needs even as insecurity makes relief work more difficult.
What Is Confirmed—and What Remains Developing
The presence of Houthi forces throughout Mokha is supported by multiple military and resident accounts. Government forces have also acknowledged withdrawing south of the city.
What remains uncertain is the precise line of territorial control, whether the Houthis can hold the port, and how far their advance toward Dhubab and Perim Island will proceed. No closure of Bab el-Mandeb has been announced, and commercial ships were still moving through the strait Wednesday.
THRIVE! will update this report if fighting reaches the immediate approaches to the strait or begins disrupting active commercial shipping lanes.
THRIVE! Perspective
The advance of an Iran-aligned armed movement toward a vital international waterway deserves sober attention. Safe navigation and free commerce depend upon order, accountability and the defense of civilian vessels against terrorism and unlawful attack.
Christians should also remember the innocent people of Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Israel and the wider region who face the consequences of missile attacks, economic disruption and renewed war. Scripture calls believers to seek peace while refusing to confuse peace with indifference toward aggression or danger.
Pray for wisdom among national leaders, protection for civilians and mariners, restraint that prevents a wider war, and effective humanitarian access for families caught in the conflict.
