Yemen’s Houthis seize port city Mocha, closing in on control of Bab el-Mandeb Strait

SANAA, Sep 10 — The Yemeni Houthi rebels reported approximately 40 airstrikes carried out by Saudi forces on Thursday, escalating the conflict following prior attacks by the Iran-backed group against the kingdom. According to the Houthi news agency Saba, the Saudi air force conducted the strikes in the provinces of Taiz, Hodeida, Al-Jawf, and Marib.

The Houthis, who hold control over vast areas of northwest Yemen, launched a large-scale offensive last week targeting Yemeni government forces backed by Saudi Arabia. They also targeted Saudi territory, resulting in dozens of injuries. On Wednesday, the Saudi-led coalition combating the Houthis announced that the rebels had launched ballistic missiles and drones at multiple cities in southern Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi civil defense issued warnings of potential danger in two areas, Khamis Mushait and Abha. The Houthis aim to advance towards coastal regions of the Red Sea bordering the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait, a crucial shipping lane connecting Asia to Europe via the Red Sea and Suez Canal. This waterway has become increasingly significant as a transit route since the onset of the broader Middle East war, which began with Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

Since the start of the Yemeni conflict last week, the fighting has resulted in over 500 deaths, primarily combatants, according to an AFP tally compiled from various sources. The country descended into war in July after years of relative peace, drawn into the regional conflict initiated by the US-Israeli offensive against Iran that concluded at the end of February.