Yemeni forces retake Mocha and Bab el-Mandab coast from Houthis

· Security · Yemen · Saudi Arabia

Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces recaptured the Red Sea city of Mocha and key areas around the Bab el-Mandab Strait from Iran-backed Houthis, in what officials described as a lightning advance. A Saudi-led coalition said an air campaign involving 100 fighter jets was under way, securing air protection over the strait and destroying hundreds of targets. The Houthis said they struck Riyadh airport and other Saudi sites. Turkiye and Pakistan agreed with Saudi Arabia to move rapidly toward "practical implementation" of collective defence commitments under the Mecca pact, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Saudi Arabia has the right to defend itself.

Why it matters：Control of the Bab el-Mandab chokepoint affects global shipping and oil flows, and the fighting risks widening a regional war involving Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkiye and Pakistan.

Key points

  • Yemeni forces recaptured Mocha, moving closer to full control of Bab el-Mandab.
  • A Saudi-led air campaign of 100 jets is striking Houthi targets along the Red Sea coast.
  • Turkiye and Pakistan agreed to rapidly deploy forces to Saudi Arabia under the Mecca pact.

Sources (original reporting)

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