Houthi attack on Yemen’s Mokha leaves six dead

MOKHA: A Houthi attack on Yemen’s Red Sea port city of Mokha has killed six people, including two security personnel, according to a military official from Yemen’s internationally recognised government.

The attack, which took place on Friday, targeted commercial vessels unloading cargo at the port, raising fresh concerns over the security of maritime activity along one of the world’s most strategically important shipping routes.

The military official said the Iran-aligned Houthi group fired five missiles at the vessels. The strikes reportedly hit the port area and caused fires to break out aboard two ships.

The attack comes as tensions continue to rise across Yemen, with Houthi forces increasingly targeting areas controlled by the internationally recognised government. The latest violence has also added to concerns over the safety of commercial shipping operating near the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Mokha, historically known as Mocha, is located on Yemen’s western coast near the Bab el-Mandeb, a narrow maritime passage linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. Its location gives the port significant importance for regional trade and shipping.

The latest incident follows a series of Houthi attacks in and around Yemen’s government-held territories and against commercial vessels. The United Nations has warned that Yemen is at increasing risk of a return to wider conflict, with military activity intensifying despite the fragile calm that followed the 2022 truce.

The renewed attacks have also raised fears of further disruption to international shipping. Maritime authorities continue to warn commercial operators about missile, drone and other threats in the southern Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb and Gulf of Aden.

Details about the identities of those killed and the extent of damage to the vessels were not immediately available.

The attack is likely to further deepen concerns about Yemen’s fragile security situation and the growing risks facing civilian and commercial activity along its Red Sea coastline.