Houthi forces seize Yemen's Mocha port and Zuqar Island near Bab el-Mandeb

Coastal offensive and capture of Mocha

Houthi forces took control of the Red Sea port city of Mocha on 10 September 2026, advancing within 70 to 80 kilometres of the Bab el-Mandeb strait. The push followed the overnight seizure of the Hays district, which completed rebel control over Al Hodeidah province. Houthi units then moved west to capture Al Khawkhah and Mount Al Nar before converging on Mocha along two separate axes. One column reached Yakhtul, 15 kilometres north of the port city, while another force moved from Mount Al Nar, 20 kilometres to the east. Local witnesses reported that rebel fighters in off-road vehicles and motorcycles entered abandoned military compounds, opened local detention facilities to release prisoners, and closed coastal supply roads.

Island assault and government withdrawal

Simultaneously with their coastal advance, Houthi fighters seized Zuqar Island in the southern Red Sea on 10 September. The operation began with ballistic missile strikes launched from positions near Al Khawkhah, 33 kilometres across the water, followed by an amphibious landing on the 130-square-kilometre island. Zuqar had served as an operations and logistics base for pro-government naval forces since 2015 and features a 2,000-metre runway constructed in 2025. Pro-government formations, including the Giants Brigades and the National Resistance Forces, retreated south towards Dhubab, located 50 kilometres north of the Bab el-Mandeb passage. National Resistance commander Tareq Saleh ordered the setup of an alternate command post in Dhubab, while the internationally recognised government stated that the coastal withdrawal was intended to reorganise forces for a counter-offensive.

Regional escalation and energy infrastructure

The fighting along the coast coincides with wider military exchanges across the Middle East. On 8 September, US Central Command sank five Iran-linked tankers in the Persian Gulf following attacks on an American warship, while Iranian forces struck vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and targeted US bases in Jordan. On the same day, Houthi strikes on southern Saudi energy infrastructure injured at least 73 people and caused fires that led the Saudi Energy Ministry to pause some operations, while crude oil prices remained above $100 per barrel. Saudi coalition jets responded with strikes across Al Hodeidah, Taiz, Saada, Jawf, and Marib provinces. According to United Nations figures, the latest week of escalated combat in Yemen has killed over 500 people and displaced 20,000 residents, adding to a conflict that had caused 150,000 deaths before the 2022 truce.

Maritime implications and political statements

The capture of Mocha and Zuqar Island places rebel forces near Bab el-Mandeb, a chokepoint connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Suez Canal that handles about 7% of global oil transit. Houthi officials moved to address international concerns regarding maritime passage. Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdul Salam rejected claims of regional aggression in an official statement.

Yemen has no territorial ambitions over any neighbouring country.

Authorities in Sanaa stated through the Saba news agency that the Red Sea remains open to international commercial traffic, though their operational ban on Saudi-flagged vessels remains active. Saudi-backed forces in Dhubab and coalition aircraft continue to monitor rebel movements along the coastal highway to prevent further advances towards the strait.