Yemen Forces Claim Mokha Port and the Bab al-Mandab
Yemen government forces claim Mokha and the Bab al-Mandab; Houthis deny the coastal gains, say they pose no threat to international shipping but will still target Saudi vessels.
BY THE COMMODITIES DESK · Graves~ 1 MIN · RECORD E1-E15
Yemeni government forces said Monday they had retaken the Red Sea port of Mokha and secured the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
Yemeni government forces said Monday they had retaken the Red Sea port of Mokha and secured the Bab al-Mandab Strait at the southern end of the sea. [E1][E6] The internationally recognised government's military said it had also retaken key positions near the waterway, a key route for global energy supplies. [E2]
Houthi-run media denied that government forces had made advances in Dhubab. [E7] The Houthi-run Saba News Agency denied reports that Yemeni troops and Saudi-led coalition forces are advancing, quoting an unidentified military source who called the alleged gains fictitious and an attempt to cover up repeated failures. [E12][E13]
On Sunday, Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council, announced the start of operations to retake all remaining Houthi-held territory. [E15] He said all opportunities for de-escalation had been exhausted and called on forces to carry out their missions until the country was liberated from the Houthis. [E9]
Coalition spokesman Major General Turki al-Maliki said 100 fighter jets were providing support to the Yemeni forces, and that the coalition had secured air protection of the strait and destroyed hundreds of Houthi targets. [E3][E4] The Saudi-led coalition said its fighter jets were providing round-the-clock air support and had destroyed 324 high-value targets since the offensive began. [E8]
The Houthi-run Health Ministry said Monday that two people were killed, including a child, and that seven others were wounded in Saudi airstrikes near the capital. [E14] An unnamed speaker told Al Jazeera that civilians remain caught up in the fragmented front line of this war, and that the announcement of an expanded military operation leaves tens of thousands with the prospect of continued displacement and hunger. [E5]
The Houthis said they had launched ballistic missiles and drones at oil facilities belonging to Saudi Aramco in Riyadh and the Khurais area, in retaliation for Saudi strikes on their territory. [E11] They said they posed no threat to international shipping passing through the waterway but that they would continue to target vessels from Saudi Arabia; whether ships were still transiting the strait was not reported. [E10]
E1 ↩Al JazeeraYemen government forces have reported that they have retaken the strategic port city of Mocha as they pursue a major counteroffensive against the Houthis.2026-10-05source
Excerpt
"Yemen government forces have reported that they have retaken the strategic port city of Mocha as they pursue a major counteroffensive against the Houthis."
E2 ↩Al JazeeraThe internationally -recognised government’s military said on Monday that it had also retaken control of key positions near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, as it seeks to oust the Iran-aligned Houthis from control of the strategic waterway – a key route for global energy supplies.2026-10-05source
Excerpt
"The internationally -recognised government’s military said on Monday that it had also retaken control of key positions near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, as it seeks to oust the Iran-aligned Houthis from control of the strategic waterway – a key route for global energy supplies."
E5 ↩Al Jazeera“Civilians remain caught up in the fragmented front line of this war, and the announcement of an expanded military operation leaves tens of thousands with the prospect of continued displacement and hunger as a humanitarian crisis takes hold,” he said.2026-10-05source
Excerpt
"“Civilians remain caught up in the fragmented front line of this war, and the announcement of an expanded military operation leaves tens of thousands with the prospect of continued displacement and hunger as a humanitarian crisis takes hold,” he said."
E6 ↩BBCYemeni pro-government forces backed by Saudi Arabia say they have retaken control of the Red Sea port city of Mokha and "secured" the Bab al-Mandab Strait at the start of a major offensive against the Iran-backed Houthi movement.2026-10-05source
Excerpt
"Yemeni pro-government forces backed by Saudi Arabia say they have retaken control of the Red Sea port city of Mokha and "secured" the Bab al-Mandab Strait at the start of a major offensive against the Iran-backed Houthi movement."
E7 ↩BBCThere was no immediate comment from the Houthis, but Houthi-run media denied that government forces had made advances in Dhubab.2026-10-05source
Excerpt
"There was no immediate comment from the Houthis, but Houthi-run media denied that government forces had made advances in Dhubab."
E8 ↩BBCMeanwhile, a Saudi-led military coalition said its fighter jets were providing "round-the-clock" air support to the pro-government forces and had destroyed 324 "high-value" targets since the start of the offensive.2026-10-05source
Excerpt
"Meanwhile, a Saudi-led military coalition said its fighter jets were providing "round-the-clock" air support to the pro-government forces and had destroyed 324 "high-value" targets since the start of the offensive."
E9 ↩BBCRashad al-Alimi insisted that all opportunities for de-escalation had been exhausted and called on all forces to carry out their assigned missions "until the country is liberated from the grip of the Houthi terrorist militia".2026-10-05source
Excerpt
"Rashad al-Alimi insisted that all opportunities for de-escalation had been exhausted and called on all forces to carry out their assigned missions "until the country is liberated from the grip of the Houthi terrorist militia"."
E10 ↩BBCThey said they posed no threat to international shipping passing through the waterway but that they would continue to target vessels from Saudi Arabia.2026-10-05source
Excerpt
"They said they posed no threat to international shipping passing through the waterway but that they would continue to target vessels from Saudi Arabia."
E11 ↩BBCThe Houthis also said they had launched ballistic missiles and drones at oil facilities belonging to Saudi Aramco in Riyadh and the Khurais area of Saudi Arabia in retaliation for dozens of Saudi strikes on their territory.2026-10-05source
Excerpt
"The Houthis also said they had launched ballistic missiles and drones at oil facilities belonging to Saudi Aramco in Riyadh and the Khurais area of Saudi Arabia in retaliation for dozens of Saudi strikes on their territory."
E13 ↩CNNIt quoted an unidentified military source as saying that the alleged gains are “fictitious” and an “attempt to cover up repeated failures and defeats.”2026-10-04source
Excerpt
"It quoted an unidentified military source as saying that the alleged gains are “fictitious” and an “attempt to cover up repeated failures and defeats.”"
E14 ↩CNNThe Houthi-run Health Ministry said Monday that two people were killed, including a child, and that seven others were wounded in Saudi airstrikes near the capital.2026-10-04source
Excerpt
"The Houthi-run Health Ministry said Monday that two people were killed, including a child, and that seven others were wounded in Saudi airstrikes near the capital."
E15 ↩Al JazeeraOn Sunday, Rashad al-Alimi, the chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, announced the start of operations to retake all remaining Houthi-held territory.2026-10-06source
Excerpt
"On Sunday, Rashad al-Alimi, the chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, announced the start of operations to retake all remaining Houthi-held territory."