Houthis seize Mocha port, tightening grip on world oil shipping route
The Houthis took Yemen's Mocha port. It was their biggest territorial gain since the 2022 ceasefire ended the civil war.
Mocha sits 80 kilometres from the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical waterway. About 12 per cent of the world's oil and goods pass through it.
The Houthis' takeover was confirmed by Ahmed Baash, a commander with Yemen's government-allied forces, and Hazam al-Assad, a member of the Houthis' political bureau. The strait became more important since February.
That's when Iran disrupted shipping through the nearby Strait of Hormuz. This happened after attacks by the United States and Israel.
Saudi Arabia relied on the Red Sea route after Iran disrupted the Strait of Hormuz. A fifth of global oil used to flow through that strait.
Yemeni government forces are moving further south to Dhubab. It sits directly on the strait.
Control of Dhubab and nearby islands is key to holding the waterway.
- 80 kilometres
- Distance from strait
- 12 per cent
- Global oil through waterway
- One-fifth of global oil
- Oil through Hormuz before disruption
- 2022 ceasefire
- Biggest gain since
Why it mattersHouthi control of Mocha raises the risk of further disruption. This affects global oil supplies and shipping in an already tense region.
Corroborated bythenightly.com.au
