Iran-backed Houthi forces have seized Yemen’s Mocha port and advanced toward the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, raising concerns over global shipping and oil prices.
Iran-backed Houthi forces have taken control of Yemen’s strategic port city of Mocha, advancing toward positions overlooking the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. This development poses a significant threat to Red Sea shipping, particularly as Brent crude oil prices surged past $106 per barrel.
The Houthi advance threatens the southern gateway to the Red Sea, a route that Saudi Arabia has increasingly relied upon to circumvent the Strait of Hormuz, which has faced severe constraints. The situation raises concerns over critical shipping lanes on both sides of the Arabian Peninsula, potentially leading to further disruptions in oil and commercial traffic through this vital global trade chokepoint.
“Now you have Iran on one side of the Arabian Peninsula controlling Hormuz, and now the Houthis controlling Bab el-Mandeb on the other side of the peninsula,” said Hisham Al-Omeisy, a senior Yemen advisor at the European Institute of Peace. “This will drive prices—oil prices, goods, and everything else—up exponentially.”
A senior administration official indicated that the United States is focused on safeguarding its core national security interests, particularly ensuring freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. The official noted ongoing dialogue with Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Yemen Government regarding regional stability.
Yemeni government sources reported that the Houthis captured Mocha and reached the Hanish Islands, while Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces retreated south toward Dhubab, located directly opposite the strategic island of Perim. Control of Dhubab and Perim is crucial for establishing a stronger hold over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, according to Yemeni government sources.
The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is approximately 18 miles wide at its narrowest point and serves as a critical connection between the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden with the Red Sea, ultimately leading to the Suez Canal. Its significance has escalated dramatically amid ongoing conflicts involving Iran.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, crude oil and petroleum liquids moving through Bab el-Mandeb averaged 8.1 million barrels per day in the second quarter of 2026, a notable increase from 5.4 million barrels per day in the final quarter of 2025. In contrast, flows through Hormuz plummeted from 21.6 million barrels per day to just 4.9 million. The EIA attributed the rise in Bab el-Mandeb traffic partly to Saudi Arabia rerouting crude through its East-West pipeline to the Red Sea port of Yanbu to avoid Hormuz.
Al-Omeisy warned that the danger extends beyond the Houthis’ territorial gains. He noted that retreating government forces left behind military equipment that could bolster Houthi capabilities on other fronts. “People are focused on taking Mocha and those outposts on the Red Sea,” he said. “But the military side is terrible, particularly the equipment, the munitions, the vehicles, the drones that were at those military camps, which they can now use against the government forces elsewhere.”
Reports indicate that Iranian arms and direct guidance from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have facilitated the Houthi advance. Two Iranian sources disclosed that Tehran instructed the Houthis to intensify attacks on Saudi Arabia, promising additional funding, weapons, and senior officers. However, Iran has publicly denied directing Houthi operations.
This seizure of territory comes amid what the conflict-monitoring organization ACLED described as the most serious escalation between the Houthis and the Saudi-backed coalition since hostilities resumed in mid-July. ACLED recorded at least 276 fatalities between September 3 and 7 as clashes spread across various regions, including al-Dali, al-Bayda, Marib, Shabwa, al-Jawf, al-Hudayda, and Taizz.
Sherwan Hindreen Ali, ACLED’s Middle East research manager, noted that fighting along the Red Sea coast has intensified as both sides vie for control over territory of strategic importance to Bab el-Mandeb. “Fighting will remain focused on the fronts of the Red Sea coast in al-Hudaydah and Taizz, where both the Houthis and the Saudi Arabia/IRG have a vested interest in claiming the whole territory to deprive the other side of effective control of the strait,” Ali stated.
Saudi Arabia has also ramped up its military involvement, launching at least 15 strikes against the Houthis between September 3 and 7, marking the highest number of Saudi strikes since Riyadh resumed military engagement against the Houthis in July. The Houthis retaliated with what Ali described as their largest wave of direct attacks on Saudi territory since March 2022, launching dozens of drones and ballistic missiles toward various Saudi cities, resulting in injuries to 73 individuals.
The ongoing conflict poses an early test for a newly signed joint defense agreement between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey. The agreement, established last month in Mecca, states that an armed attack against one member will be considered an attack against all three. However, following recent Houthi attacks, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated that no military response under the pact was currently being discussed.
Meanwhile, the Houthis have claimed that international navigation through the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb remains safe, while asserting that Saudi vessels are subject to their previously announced blockade.
Al-Omeisy cautioned that reversing the Houthis’ territorial gains may become increasingly challenging. “The Houthis are really good at capturing a position; they entrench really well,” he said. “They send these massive reinforcements, and then it’s going to be extremely difficult to push them out of those areas.”
The escalating regional threat has already impacted oil markets, with Brent crude rising more than 5% to $106.60 per barrel, while U.S. crude climbed above $100 for the first time since May, according to reports.
For further insights, see Reuters.