Red Sea Mocha port in Yemen closed following over 25 Houthi missile attacks
The attacks killed seven people and caused an estimated $16 million in losses, the director told a news conference.
Yemen's Red Sea port of Mocha has temporarily halted all commercial and maritime activities following a barrage of over 25 missile strikes by Houthi rebels in recent days, according to the port's director. The relentless assaults resulted in the tragic loss of seven lives and inflicted an estimated financial damage of $16 million, the director disclosed during a news conference.
Located strategically near the Bab al-Mandab strait, a critical link connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, Mocha is a port under the control of forces loyal to Yemen's internationally recognized government. Although it boasts a comparatively smaller cargo capacity than Yemen's principal ports of Aden and Hodeidah, its significance in international shipping routes cannot be understated.
The Yemeni government reported on Friday that the Houthis unleashed six ballistic missiles on Mocha that particular day, resulting in at least four civilian deaths and targeting civilian, economic, and maritime facilities. In a counterclaim, the Houthis asserted that they had struck a growing military buildup of weapons and naval vessels belonging to Saudi-backed forces in Mocha.
This flare-up in hostilities is occurring amidst heightened regional tensions exacerbated by the ongoing US war on Iran, prompting apprehensions of a resurgence of widespread conflict in Yemen. Notably, major fighting in Yemen had largely diminished following a UN-brokered cease-fire in 2022; however, persistent challenges in achieving a durable political resolution have impeded progress.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
