Yemeni government forces say they have retaken Mocha. Fighting intensifies around the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a vital waterway.
Yemeni government forces have reported retaking the strategic Red Sea port city of Mocha from Houthi fighters as part of a broader military offensive along Yemen’s western coast. The internationally recognized government said its forces also regained positions near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a key maritime passage linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
The reported advance follows an offensive launched by forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognized government and backed by Saudi Arabia. Yemeni military sources said units including the Giants Brigades, Nation Shield Forces and Tihama Resistance took part in operations around Mocha, with air support reported during the fighting. Yemen Online, citing Yemeni military sources and the state-run SABA news agency, reported that government forces were conducting security operations in areas they said had been recaptured.
Mocha, also known as Mokha, lies on Yemen’s Red Sea coast near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, one of the world’s important shipping routes. Control of territory near the strait has strategic importance because the waterway connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden and provides a maritime route toward the Suez Canal and wider international trade networks. The latest fighting has therefore added another security concern around a waterway already affected by regional conflict.
The offensive comes after Houthi forces made gains in western Yemen, including the reported capture of Mocha and positions near the strait in recent weeks. Reuters reported that Saudi-backed government forces pushed toward the Bab al-Mandeb area with Saudi air support, while the Houthis claimed retaliatory attacks against targets in Saudi Arabia. The competing claims could not all be independently verified.
The renewed fighting is part of Yemen’s wider conflict between the internationally recognized government and the Iran-aligned Houthi movement, which seized large parts of the country, including the capital, Sanaa, during the civil war. The latest escalation has also coincided with wider regional tensions and efforts by Saudi Arabia and its partners to strengthen security around the kingdom. Al Jazeera reported that Türkiye and Pakistan agreed to rapidly deploy forces to support Saudi security under the Mecca defense pact.
The fighting also carries humanitarian consequences for civilians in areas affected by the renewed military campaign. The Associated Press reported that the latest escalation has caused significant casualties and displacement, while health services in parts of Taiz province have faced severe disruption. The developments around Mocha and Bab al-Mandeb are expected to remain closely watched because of their implications for Yemen’s conflict and security along one of the region’s most important maritime routes.
Information was reported by Reuters, The Associated Press, Al Jazeera and Yemen Online, citing Yemeni military and government sources.