Houthis say Saudi strike kills 6 in Yemen port city Mokha

Saudi-led airstrikes on the strategic Red Sea port city of Mokha resulted in the deaths of at least six civilians and injuries to eight others, according to Yemen's Houthi-affiliated news agency Saba. The Houthis have been actively advancing to seize control of Yemen's entire Red Sea coast, including Mokha, which has prompted a response from the Saudi-backed government.

Six civilians, including two children and a woman, lost their lives, while eight others, also including a child and a woman, were injured in the airstrikes. Yemen's governing body head, Rashad al-Alimi, reached out to US President Donald Trump for American support against the Iran-backed fighters. Although President Trump did not pledge military assistance, the call was seen as a gesture of solidarity with Yemen's beleaguered government.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has reportedly also called on President Trump to target the Houthis. The Houthis' recent gains have reinforced Iran and its allies' dominance over two vital waterways, the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, crucial for the Gulf's oil exports and Saudi Arabia's economy. Tensions between Iran and its regional rivals escalated following US-Israeli strikes on Iran in February, leading to a broader Middle Eastern conflict involving various Iranian-backed groups.

The Yemeni conflict, which began in 2014 with the Houthi capture of the capital Sanaa, had a lull since 2022 but reignited in July as Saudi Arabia led a coalition supporting the internationally recognized government. The ongoing war has exacerbated Yemen's humanitarian crisis, already considered one of the worst in the world.