Yemen says Saudi-backed forces retake Mocha from Houthis

Yemeni government forces, backed by about 100 jets from the Saudi-led coalition, opened a major offensive on Monday to retake Yemen's Red Sea coast from the Iran-backed Houthis. Officials say their troops have pushed the group out of most of the coastal area it took last month around the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, as far north as the port city of Mokha. The Houthis called those claims baseless. Reuters said it could not independently verify how much ground the government had gained, and Al Jazeera said the same of the battlefield reports.aljazeera+1

The strait matters more than usual right now. Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz during its war with the United States and Israel, and Saudi Arabia has been sending its oil exports through the Red Sea instead. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, about 8.1 million barrels a day passed through Bab al-Mandeb in the second quarter of 2026.reuters+2

"Dawn of Yemen"

Rashad al-Alimi, head of the Presidential Leadership Council, announced the campaign on Sunday. He vowed to fight "until the country is liberated from the grip of the terrorist militia". Military spokesman Col. Majed al-Nuzaili said the Giants Brigades and Nation's Shield Forces had gained "effective control" of the strait. He said they had also taken Dhubab airport and cut the road between Dhubab and Mokha. According to Nuzaili, hundreds of Houthi fighters were surrounded, and some escaped by boat.thenationalnews+1

Later in the day, the Defence Ministry said Mokha had fallen. Government sources told Reuters that Houthi fighters were retreating into the highlands. Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani said government forces controlled the strait, though fighting was still going on. The government also announced a "strategic offensive" against Sanaa, the capital, which the Houthis have held since 2014.reuters+2

Coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki al-Maliki said coalition aircraft had destroyed 324 "high-value" targets. A regional official and a U.S. official told the Associated Press that the United States has been supporting the campaign with intelligence sharing, target identification and planning. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Saudis "have a right to defend themselves".bbc+1

Houthi denials and counterclaims

Houthi-run media called the reported gains "fictitious". Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdul Salam accused Saudi Arabia of committing "dozens of massacres". The group says it hit Saudi Aramco facilities in Riyadh and Khurais. BBC Verify said satellite images showed smoke rising from both sites. The Houthis also warned airlines that Saudi airspace was unsafe.bbc+1

Near Taiz, government military sources told Reuters that Houthi advances had left the city surrounded. The Houthis say they reached Alimi's home in the al-Mawasit district.al-monitor

A widening war

The 2022 truce began to break down in July. In September, the Houthis advanced quickly down the coast and took Mokha, Dhubab and Perim Island. Since August 6, at least 959 people have been killed, according to the government's health ministry. The UN says 197,000 people have been displaced.bbc

Even if the government holds the coast, Reuters notes that the Houthis could still attack ships with drones launched from further up the coast or from inland.al-monitor