Yemen's Mocha port halts operations after Houthi attacks, port director says

Yemen's Mocha port has halted commercial and maritime operations after being hit by over 25 missiles in recent Houthi attacks. According to the port's director, the attacks killed seven people and caused an estimated $16 million in losses. The port, located near the strategic Bab el-Mandab strait, is controlled by forces aligned with Yemen's internationally recognised government.

The Houthis claimed they targeted a military build-up of weapons and warships belonging to Saudi-backed forces in Mocha, while the Yemeni government stated that the attacks targeted civilian, economic, and maritime facilities, killing at least four civilians. The port's director, Abdulmalik Al-Sharaabi, warned of severe humanitarian and economic consequences from the port's closure, noting that around 1,300 workers have lost their income.

The escalation comes amid heightened regional tensions, 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. According to Ajel English, the missile attacks targeted the old pier, destroyed storage hangars, and caused severe damage to the port's expansion dredger and its marine launch.

Brief written by urgent.news from Al-Monitor, Hindustan Times - World News, Middle East Eye, Ajel English — 4 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.