Houthis captured the city of Mocha in Yemen: Strategic move for the Bab al-Mandeb Strait

In Yemen, intense conflicts continue between the Iranian-backed Houthis and the United Nations-recognized Yemeni government in the northern, western and central regions of the country.

Houthi militias announced that they have taken control of the vital city of Mocha on the Red Sea and are approaching the strategic Babel Mandeb Strait. No statement was made from the internationally recognized Yemeni government.

IMPORTANCE OF THE CITY

If the capture of Mocha is confirmed, the Houthis will have control of almost the entire Red Sea coast of Yemen, making it easier to control Bab al-Mandab. This will give the Houthis an advantage in blocking the passage of ships through the strait, and will also provide the opportunity to cut off three main supply lines to government-controlled areas in the south of the country.

HE WAS THE MAIN TARGET OF THE HOUTHI

The main goal of the Houthis, who are allied with Iran, in their attack against the Saudi-backed government was to capture the strategically important city of Mocha and gain complete control over the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, which is a critical shipping route for international trade. Another goal of the Houthis was to cut key supply lines used by the Yemeni government, namely the road connecting Mocha and Taiz, the routes running south from Mocha that supply government forces, and the supply lines passing through the port of Mocha, which serves as a critical logistics center for anti-Houthi forces on Yemen's west coast.

'TURNING POINT'

The capture of Mocha also had a significant impact because it made it difficult for government forces to obtain weapons through the port, defense analyst Wolfgang Pusztai said in an interview with Al Jazeera. "This is a turning point in the war. This could lead to the collapse of government forces in the southern part of Yemen. Some groups are on the side of Saudi Arabia, some are on the side of the United Arab Emirates, and the port of Mocha was the last port under the full control of the internationally recognized government," Pusztai said. It was learned that pro-government groups were not fully united, and this may have played a role in the progress of the Houthis.

CRISIS IN YEMEN

The war in the country started in 2014, when the Iranian-backed Houthi militia captured the capital Sanaa. The following year, a military intervention was carried out under the leadership of Saudi Arabia. A ceasefire was reached in 2022 through the mediation of the United Nations, but a permanent solution was disrupted due to regional tensions caused by the war waged by the USA and Israel against Iran.

The Houthi militias allowed an Iranian plane to land at the airport in the capital Sana'a in July, which led to the resumption of clashes. Government forces backed by Saudi Arabia attacked the airport controlled by the Houthis and prevented the plane coming from Iran from landing, and clashes broke out again. Later, the Houthis launched a major operation by trying to advance towards the port city of Mocha and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea via Taiz and Hudaydah.