On Thursday, Houthi forces seized control of Mocha, a vital port city in Yemen, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between the Houthis and the internationally recognized Yemeni government. This action, coming amid intense fighting between the Houthis and the government, is raising alarms about the potential destabilization of the region and a worsening humanitarian crisis across Yemen’s southern provinces, particularly the Taiz and al-Hodeidah regions, where over 20,000 displaced people reside.
The rapid capture of Mocha represents a major shift in the military landscape, highlighting the Houthis’ evolving tactics and exploiting vulnerabilities within Yemen’s defense structures. Al Jazeera’s Yemeni affairs editor, Ahmed al-Shalafi, stated that the Houthis applied pressure from three distinct axes – Western Taiz, Southern Hodeidah, and Mocha city itself – intensifying their offensive. The combat was particularly intense in the outskirts of Mocha, with reports indicating waves of displacement towards Dhubab and Aden.
Following the withdrawal of the National Resistance Forces from the fighting, and their movement towards Mocha, al-Shalafi explained that the Houthis utilized a tactical withdrawal and repositioning strategy, instructing forces to execute a ‘tactical withdrawal and repositioning’ in exchange for the Houthis’ advance towards the al-Waziyah and Mawza fronts, and establishing an alternative command centre. The National Resistance, led by Tareq Saleh, a nephew of Yemen’s former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who was ousted by the Houthis, has been a central component of the Saudi-backed alliance. The Houthis initially took control of Mocha ‘following the withdrawal of the National Resistance Forces from them at dawn today and their movement towards Mocha’, al-Shalafi said. The extent of the National Resistance’s withdrawal remains unclear, whether it was to arrange their ranks, for a military reason, or due to their inability to withstand the intense military formations.
Simultaneously, Ali, Al Jazeera’s correspondent reporting from Taiz, revealed that the military media of the National Resistance announced that the air aviation [of pro-government forces] targeted Houthi positions in Al-Tuhayta, Al-Salif, and Kamaran Island in Hodeidah governorate, while the Houthis launched two ballistic missiles towards the strategic Zuqar Island. This escalation has spilled over into maritime and distant terrestrial domains, with Reuters reporting that the Houthis were launching attacks on the strategic Red Sea islands of Hanish. The Houthis’ strategic control of Mocha is viewed as a potential stranglehold along the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, a crucial artery for crude oil and fuel trade. The city’s geography makes it a vital logistical hub for Yemen’s economy.
The international community is reacting with alarm, with the United Kingdom’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office declaring that the Houthis bear full responsibility for this crisis and urging them to cease their attacks and escalation immediately. The port of Mocha was the last harbour fully under control of the internationally recognised government, signifying a pivotal shift in the conflict’s trajectory. The Houthis’ control over Mocha could significantly disrupt vital anti-Houthi supply lines, including the road linking Mocha with Taiz, and supply lines through Mocha’s port.
Al Jazeera’s Yousef Mawry explained that controlling Mocha could give the Houthis a ‘stranglehold along the Bab al-Mandeb’. Furthermore, it could sever critical anti-Houthi supply lines, including the road linking Mocha with Taiz, and supply lines through Mocha’s port.
Defence policy analyst Wolfgang Pusztai stated that this might lead to a breakdown of the government forces in the southern part of Yemen. The international community is observing closely, with the United States warning that the Houthis bear full responsibility for this crisis and urging them to ‘cease their attacks and escalation immediately.’
Source: Al Jazeera
