Houthi forces captured Mokha in September 2026 as part of an attempt to exert influence on the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. The Houthi rebels, who began fighting a civil war with Yemen’s internationally recognized government in 2014, have taken aim at Saudi Arabia since Saudi forces entered the civil war in 2015 on the government’s behalf. After the outbreak of the 2026 Iran war, Iran, an ally of the Houthi movement, attempted to prevent Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab states from exporting goods through the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for hosting U.S. military assets. In July 2026 Houthi forces attempted to extend this pressure on Saudi Arabia to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
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