Yemen’s Houthis expand control over strategic Red Sea strait, giving Iran access to second key waterway

After several days of intense fighting between the Yemeni Houthi terrorists and Saudi-aligned forces, the terrorists managed to capture a key city near the ​Bab el-Mandeb Strait, expanding their control over one of the world’s busiest waterways.

The Iran-backed terror group took control of the historic port city of al-Mokha (Mocha) on Thursday, three sources from the internationally recognized Yemeni government told Reuters. Eyewitnesses told the French news outlet AFP they saw troops entering the city while chanting “Death to America, death to Israel.”

The stunning advance came after several days of reports suggesting the Houthis were on the defensive, after Saudi-backed forces announced significant gains in the north and central desert areas.

WHAT HAPPENED IN YEMEN OVER THE PAST 24 HOURS?

On Wednesday, Saudi-backed Yemeni forces announced they had made significant achievements on the ground in the north and central desert areas and appeared to have broken through Houthi lines.

But in reality, the Houthis simply… https://t.co/ImFf21kfRx pic.twitter.com/oQsnuR8E3X

— Ariel Oseran أريئل أوسيران (@ariel_oseran) September 10, 2026

However, Ariel Oseran, Senior Middle East Correspondent at i24 News, explained that “in reality, the Houthis simply repositioned their forces, giving up the open areas so they could take over the more important western coastline… And so, rather than an overwhelming blitz by the Saudi-backed forces, the sides essentially swapped territories, with the Houthis gaining the strategic coastline along the Red Sea.”

“This will allow them to pose a more direct threat to shipping in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, thus increasing the threat to Saudi Arabia. A former Yemeni Military official tells me that the boasting by Yemeni government forces yesterday was actually a cover for their losses on the coastline,” Oseran added.

Saudi Arabia said Houthis have escalated their attacks on the kingdom in recent days, wounding 73 people, including women and children, in strikes on civilian and ⁠economic sites in ​the south.

Houthi media reported that Saudi forces conducted some 40 airstrikes on Thursday alone, while reports over the past days claimed that hundreds of people, including many civilians, were killed by strikes via artillery, missiles, drones and jets, further deepening the years-long humanitarian crisis in the region.

Overall, at least 194 people have been killed and 880 others wounded in the past two weeks of fighting, according to aid agencies.

The Iranian regime has reportedly pushed the Houthis to conduct a broad campaign against Red Sea maritime routes for months, in a bid to gain indirect control over a second strategic waterway. Two Iranian sources told Reuters that Tehran sent instructions for more attacks against Saudi Arabia, sending IRGC officers to support the offensive while promising additional funding and weapons in the future.

WATCH: Yemeni government troops dance in celebration as they continue to liberate areas previously under Houthi control. pic.twitter.com/YtqemyyRbL

— Ariel Oseran أريئل أوسيران (@ariel_oseran) September 9, 2026

Since the regime largely shut down the Hormuz Strait, Saudi Arabia has been dependent on the Red Sea for its oil exports. A full closure of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait would cripple exports from the world’s most important oil producer, granting the regime in Tehran powerful leverage in the conflict with the U.S.

The Houthi forces are continuing attacks on the Red Sea islands of Hanish and the town of Dhubab, which sits on the southeast “corner” of the Arabian Peninsula, government sources told Reuters. These are two more highly strategic areas that are crucial for control over the strait.

The escalation in Yemen comes against the background of reemerging tensions between the U.S. and the Iranian regime these past days. On Wednesday, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said it destroyed five Iranian crude oil tankers overnight, after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targeted a U.S. Navy warship with ballistic missiles twice over the preceding days. 

Saudi Arabia sent a message to Tehran via Pakistan, warning the regime to rein in the Houthis, Saudi, Pakistani and Iranian sources told Reuters. However, the answer reportedly was that “Iran does not control the Houthis.”

Pakistan has long been closely allied with Saudi Arabia and recently signed the tripartite Mecca agreement with Turkey and Saudi Arabia. Its Defense Minister Khawaja Asif warned that “If there is unprovoked aggression, or a spillover of whatever is happening in Yemen into Saudi Arabia, definitely the Mecca agreement will become operational.”