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Nazili said Friday that government forces had begun shelling areas in Mocha and urged residents to avoid the Taiz-Mocha and Mocha-Dhubab roads.
Yemen’s Houthi armed forces patrol as Yemeni prisoners loyal to the Houthi authorities arrive in the capital Sanaa. (IMAGE: AFP)
Yemen’s Saudi-backed government forces said Saturday they had struck Houthi fighters in the strategic Red Sea port city of Mocha, days after the Iran-aligned group seized the area following a week-long offensive.
The Houthis captured Mocha on Thursday after heavy fighting, consolidating their control over Yemen’s Red Sea coast and strengthening their position near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a key maritime route.
“The armed forces destroyed vehicles and weapons and killed members of the Houthi terrorist militia backed by the Iranian regime” near Mocha’s port, the government news agency Saba reported.
Yemeni government forces spokesman Majed Abdullah al-Nazili said they had also targeted Houthi vehicles and fighters along the Mocha-Dhubab road outside the city, according to Saba.
Nazili said Friday that government forces had begun shelling areas in Mocha and urged residents to avoid the Taiz-Mocha and Mocha-Dhubab roads.
The Houthi takeover prompted many residents to flee towards Aden, where Yemen’s internationally recognised government is based.
Houthi media reported Friday that two Saudi strikes hit Mocha airport, while a local official said the city’s seaport was struck by six missiles of unknown origin.
The developments come amid reports of increased Saudi involvement in the fighting. Axios reported that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had twice called US President Donald Trump last week to request American strikes against the Houthis.
Trump, however, said Saturday that the Houthis had contacted Washington and “don’t want to fight with us”. Asked about possible US action, he did not give a clear indication, saying instead that “everything’s gonna work out fine and dandy” in the region.
The United States previously carried out a seven-week bombing campaign against the Houthis beginning in March 2025, in response to repeated attacks on international shipping linked to the Gaza war. The campaign ended with a negotiated ceasefire, although the Houthis continued missile and drone attacks targeting Israel.
More recently, the group has resumed attacks on shipping in the Red Sea after declaring a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia.
The Houthi ground offensive launched last week has killed more than 500 people, according to sources on both sides, while around 76,000 people have been displaced, the UN migration agency said Saturday.
The displacement figure has quadrupled since last week, according to the agency.
Yemen’s civil war began after the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa in 2014. Fighting was largely paused by a 2022 truce, which collapsed in July.
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Ask News18Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces launched strikes in Mocha to recapture the strategic Red Sea port city after the Iran-aligned Houthi group seized the area following a week-long offensive. The Houthis had captured Mocha on Thursday, consolidating their control over Yemen’s Red Sea coast and strengthening their position near the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
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Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a chief sub editor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over seven years of experience during which he has …Read More
September 12, 2026, 11:06 PM IST
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