Yemen's Houthi militia captured the port city of Mokha (also spelled Mocha) on Thursday, sparking fears the country could return to civil war. The city lies around 80 kilometers (50 miles) from the Bab el-Mandeb strait, an important waterway for shipping that divides the Red Sea from the Gulf of Aden.

The Red Sea has served as a key alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, where shipping has been disrupted amid the United States' war with Iran, sending global oil prices skyrocketing. Houthi spokesperson Abdulsalam was cited by Reuters as saying that freedom of navigation and international trade in the Red Sea and the Strait remain safe and operations are limited to specific targets. However, the Houthis have in the past targeted international shipping in the Red Sea, claiming solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

Meanwhile, Houthi rebels accused Saudi Arabia of launching strikes on the southwestern province of Taiz. "The Saudi enemy launched 10 strikes on the Dhubab district in western Taiz," the Houthis' Al-Masirah TV channel was cited by AFP as saying. Dhubab lies just south of Mokha. Fighting has intensified between the Houthis and Yemen's internationally recognized government in recent months after four years of relative calm, with rebels intensifying efforts to solidify their control over the country's coastline.

The capture of Mokha is the Iran-backed militia's biggest territorial gain since a UN-brokered truce signed in 2022. The Houthis control the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, as well as much of the more populous areas in the country's north and west. The internationally recognized government has its headquarters in the southern city of Aden and receives considerable support from Saudi Arabia. Yemen's civil war has killed over 150,000 people and brought others to the brink of famine.

Source: www.dw.com