Houthi forces seize Mokha port and push toward Bab al-Mandab chokepoint

Houthi forces took control of Mokha on September 9-10, 2026, seizing the Red Sea port city after pro-government troops withdrew under intense pressure. It is the first time the Iran-aligned movement has held Mokha since early 2017, and the timing could not be more consequential.

Brent crude climbed above $105 per barrel in the immediate aftermath, a number that tells you everything about how energy markets read the situation.

Why Mokha matters more than its name suggests

Mokha sits roughly 50 to 80 kilometers north of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the narrow waterway connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and, beyond that, the Indian Ocean. About 12% of global trade moves through that corridor, including a significant share of the world’s oil shipments.

With Mokha under their belt, Houthi forces now occupy a coastal position from which they can monitor commercial shipping lanes and, based on their track record, potentially strike them. Analysts have called this capture a significant turning point for maritime security in the region.

The advance did not stop at Mokha. Houthi fighters also pushed into Hays, Al-Khawkhah, and the Zuqar islands, tightening their grip along the Yemeni coastline in a coordinated southward push toward the strait itself.

A conflict that keeps widening

Prior to the Mokha operation, the Houthis had already announced a blockade targeting Saudi ports and carried out repeated attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea. Those attacks had prompted some shipping carriers to reroute away from the area entirely, adding thousands of miles and significant cost to voyages that would otherwise pass through Suez.

Some carriers had only recently resumed Red Sea services when Mokha fell. Saudi coalition airstrikes hit Houthi-held positions following the takeover, including strikes on Mokha airport, but have not reversed the ground situation. The Houthis have stated that maritime navigation in the Red Sea remains safe for all vessels except those affiliated with Saudi Arabia.

What markets and shippers are watching now

The rise in Brent crude above $105 per barrel reflects a specific fear: that a Houthi-controlled coastline near Bab al-Mandab could throttle or selectively disrupt the flow of oil tankers and container ships at a moment when global supply chains are already under strain from the broader Iran conflict.

Rerouting around Africa via the Cape of Good Hope remains an option for carriers willing to absorb extra transit time and fuel cost. That route adds roughly two weeks to Asia-Europe voyages.

Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.