Yemen's Mocha port hit by Houthi attacks, operations halt amid rising regional tensions

This strategic port's closure raises fears of escalating conflict in Yemen, despite previous truce efforts.

Yemen's Mocha port has suspended commercial and maritime operations after being hit by more than 25 missiles in Houthi attacks over recent days, the port's director said on Saturday.

The attacks killed seven people and caused an estimated $16 million in losses. (Obtained via REUTERS)

The attacks killed seven people and caused an estimated $16 million in losses, the director told a news conference.

• Mocha is a Red Sea port near the Bab el-Mandab strait, a strategic chokepoint connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and a key route for international shipping.

• The port is controlled by forces aligned with Yemen's internationally recognised government. It has a smaller cargo capacity than Yemen's main ports of Aden and Hodeidah.

• Yemen's government said on Friday the Houthis fired six ballistic missiles at Mocha that day, killing at least four civilians and targeting civilian, economic and maritime facilities.

• The Houthis said they targeted a military build-up of weapons and warships belonging to Saudi-backed forces in Mocha.

• The escalation comes amid heightened regional tensions from the U.S. war on Iran and has raised concerns about a return to large-scale conflict in Yemen.

• Major fighting in Yemen had largely subsided following a U.N.-brokered truce in 2022, but efforts to reach a lasting political settlement have stalled.