Iran-backed Houthi forces captured the strategic Red Sea port city of Mokha in western Yemen on September 10, according to Yemeni military sources, local officials, and multiple international news outlets. Pro-government forces and allied units withdrew south toward Dhubab after days of fighting along the coast.

Mokha sits approximately 75 kilometers north of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a critical chokepoint for shipping between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The capture expands Houthi control along the western coastline. Residents reported Houthi fighters entering the city and families fleeing. Videos circulating online, verified by some outlets, showed armed vehicles in central streets.

The internationally recognized Yemeni government, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, confirmed the loss of the city. Houthi-aligned media stated that “hostile groups” had been expelled from western coastal districts. Fighting has intensified in recent days, with reports of Saudi airstrikes on Houthi-held areas and Houthi attacks on targets in southern Saudi Arabia.

The development occurs amid broader Middle East tensions that have already disrupted regional shipping. No independent confirmation of exact casualty figures was available at the time of reporting.

SOURCES
BBC — https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g7vr0lngwo
The New York Times — https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/10/world/middleeast/yemens-houthis-seize-strategic-red-sea-port-officials-say.html
AFP / multiple wire reports