Yemen's Houthis have taken the strategic Red Sea port of Mokha from Saudi-backed forces, according to military sources and witnesses. The city lies 75 km from the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The move follows a week-long offensive that reportedly killed hundreds and displaced thousands. Saudi-led coalition air strikes and Houthi missile attacks on southern Saudi Arabia have continued. This article examines the reported events, statements from both sides and the effects on regional shipping and oil markets.
What happened in Mokha on 9-10 September 2026?
Military sources and residents reported that Houthi fighters entered Mokha after clashes on Wednesday night. Pro-government forces withdrew. Houthi patrols were seen in the city on Thursday while government offices and shops remained closed. The Houthis' Supreme Political Council stated that clashes had ended in western coast districts after the expulsion of Saudi-backed forces. No immediate confirmation of the takeover came directly from the group. Mokha residents said Houthi fighters moved into the city after fierce clashes with pro-government forces on Wednesday night, prompting many families to flee their homes. One man told BBC Arabic's Middle East Lifeline programme that the takeover came without warning and panic spread throughout the area, forcing people to flee amid distressing scenes of injured people lying in the streets with no-one there to help them. Another man said that Houthi fighters were patrolling the streets of Mokha on Thursday. He added that at the moment they do not know what Ansar Allah will do and everyone is afraid for their safety. Government offices and shops were closed.
How close is Mokha to the Bab al-Mandab Strait and what does it mean for shipping?
Mokha is 75 km from the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the southern entrance to the Red Sea trade route between Asia and Europe. The Houthis stated they posed no threat to international shipping. They maintained their existing embargo on Saudi vessels. Saudi Arabia has used the Red Sea route for oil exports since the Strait of Hormuz became effectively closed. Witnesses described families fleeing toward Aden. Many displaced families are heading east towards the city of Aden, where Yemen's internationally recognised Presidential Leadership Council and government are based. One woman told BBC Arabic that they fled with their children and kept running. They have no bedding, no home, nothing with them. Everything was destroyed within an hour. They did not even give a chance or warn beforehand. The escalation of the conflict between the Houthis, Yemen's government and Saudi Arabia has contributed to a surge in oil prices. The Houthis' Supreme Political Council asserted its right to defend Yemen's sovereignty and territorial waters while simultaneously reassuring the international community that navigation in the Red Sea remains safe. However, the Houthi-run humanitarian operations co-ordination centre also stressed that the embargo on Saudi ships remained in place. [TO VERIFY: exact number of displaced persons and current status of port operations]
What casualties and displacement have been reported?
Hundreds of people have reportedly been killed and thousands displaced since the offensive began a week earlier. One resident described injured people left in the streets without help. Another woman said families fled with nothing after their homes were destroyed. The figures come from witness accounts and have not been independently verified by international organisations in the source material. Hundreds of people have reportedly been killed and thousands displaced since the Houthis launched an offensive in the south-west a week ago. Mokha residents said the takeover prompted many families to flee their homes. The woman added that they are women with no means of defending themselves and have innocent children with them.
What statements have the Houthis and Saudi-led coalition made?
The Houthis' Supreme Political Council said it would defend Yemen's sovereignty and territorial waters while assuring that Red Sea navigation remains safe. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea reported 64 Saudi air strikes across Taiz, Hudaydah, Marib and Jawf in the previous 24 hours. The Saudi-led coalition stated it would respond to Houthi attacks on Khamis Mushait, Abha and Jazan. On Tuesday, Saudi authorities said Houthi drones and missiles injured 73 civilians and caused fires at oil facilities. The Houthis said they were retaliating for dozens of Saudi air strikes on territory they control in recent days, including one on a prison in the town of Hazm in Jawf province on Monday that they said killed at least 23 civilians. The spokesman of the Saudi-led coalition of Arab states fighting in Yemen said on Wednesday evening that it would respond to a series of Houthi missile and drone attacks on the south-western Saudi cities of Khamis Mushait, Abha and Jazan.
What is the current situation on Zuqar Island and other areas?
A Yemeni military source told AFP that Houthi fighters had also seized Zuqar Island, 80 km north-west of Mokha, after rocket and boat assaults. Tarek Salah, leader of the pro-government National Resistance Forces, said his command centre had moved to a safe location and that his forces had paid a heavy price in the face of an Iranian-supported offensive. A Yemeni military source told AFP news agency that Houthi fighters had also seized Zuqar Island in the Red Sea, about 80km north-west of Mokha, after launching a barrage of rockets and a ground assault using boats. Tarek Salah added that his forces had paid a heavy price in recent days in the face of a Houthi offensive that was planned and supported by Iran.
Frequently asked questions
Has the Houthis' capture of Mokha been confirmed by the group itself?
No direct statement from the Houthis confirmed the seizure of Mokha. Their Supreme Political Council referred only to the end of clashes in western coast districts.
Are international ships at risk in the Red Sea following the takeover?
The Houthis stated they posed no threat to international shipping while maintaining the embargo on Saudi vessels. No attacks on non-Saudi commercial traffic were reported in the source material.
How many people have been killed in the recent offensive?
Hundreds of deaths have been reported by witnesses and military sources, but independent verification by organisations such as the UN or Red Cross is not available in the source.
Has oil reached $100 a barrel?
The source notes a surge in oil prices linked to the escalation. A separate line states oil hit $100 a barrel for the first time since July.
Where are displaced residents going?
Many families are heading east toward Aden, where Yemen's internationally recognised government is based.
Key takeaways
- Houthis reported to control Mokha after Wednesday night clashes.
- City lies 75 km from Bab al-Mandab Strait.
- Hundreds reported killed and thousands displaced in south-west offensive.
- Saudi-led coalition carried out 64 air strikes in 24 hours per Houthi spokesman.
- 73 civilians injured in Houthi attacks on southern Saudi cities on Tuesday.
- Houthis maintain embargo on Saudi ships but state Red Sea navigation is safe.
Outlook
The situation remains fluid. Rashad al-Alimi, head of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council, called for international help to protect the coasts. Both sides continue to exchange strikes and statements. Further developments depend on whether the informal ceasefire can be restored or whether fighting spreads closer to the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The head of the Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad al-Alimi, urged Arab states and other countries to help protect Yemen's coasts and restore state control. A four-year-old informal ceasefire began to unravel in July, when the Houthis announced a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia and began missile and drone attacks on Saudi airports, oil facilities and tankers in the Red Sea. The Houthis said they were retaliating for a Saudi blockade of ports and airports in their territory, as well as an air strike on Sanaa airport that they blamed on the kingdom. The Saudi-led coalition has backed Yemen's government against the Houthis in the country's devastating civil war for more than a decade.
