Yemeni Forces Seize Mocha, Tightening Grip on Bab el-Mandeb Strait

Yemen’s armed forces have taken control of the Red Sea city of Mocha after fierce battles with Iran-backed Houthi fighters, according to state-run news agency Saba. The victory on Monday brings the internationally recognized government closer to controlling the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a narrow but strategically vital chokepoint between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Saudi Arabia has relied on this route to export oil while avoiding the Strait of Hormuz, making the territorial shift geopolitically significant. Bloomberg’s Stuart Livingstone-Wallace reported on the implications of the advance, which could alter the balance of power in the region and affect global energy flows. The Houthis have previously threatened shipping through the strait, and the government’s success in Mocha may help secure maritime traffic. However, the conflict remains fluid, and the broader war in Yemen continues to exact a heavy humanitarian toll.