Yemeni Forces Strike Houthis After Rebels Seize Red Sea Shipping Strait

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 armed forces destroyed vehicles, weapons, and killed Houthi members near the port of Mocha. Majed Abdullah al-Nazili, spokesperson for the government forces, confirmed strikes on Houthi targets on the Mocha-Dhubab road, 11km (7 miles) from the city. The Houthis captured Mocha on Thursday and the island of Mayun on Friday, completing their hold on the Bab al-Mandeb strait, a narrow waterway vital to global oil shipping.

The United Nations reported nearly 46,000 people displaced in Yemen since fighting escalated earlier this week, a figure likely higher according to Abdusattor Esoev of the International Organization for Migration in Yemen. The fall of Mocha has made aid delivery more difficult. With rebels controlling Bab al-Mandab and Iran blocking the Strait of Hormuz, Saudi Arabia faces a risk of losing all maritime access for its oil tankers.

Saudi Arabia shut down its major East-West oil pipeline as a precautionary measure following attacks, though the Saudi Energy Ministry did not identify the perpetrators. The Iraqi government ordered an investigation and dismissed a commander after attacks targeting Saudi Arabia were launched from Maysan province. A person familiar with the matter told "PBS News Hour" that Saudi Arabia formally requested US airstrikes, but President Donald Trump reportedly declined a similar request from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

US officials stated the administration has no plans for direct military intervention against the Houthis for now. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree declared maritime navigation is safe for all companies except for Saudi vessels. The Iranian-backed Houthis' lightning advance across Yemen's coastal plain, capturing up to 130km (81 miles) of coastline, surprised observers. Hisham al-Omeisi, a senior analyst, noted the Houthis will be entrenched, making their removal costly after 12 years of civil war.