The Houthis have seized the port city of Mocha on Yemen's west coast and continue to advance toward western towns, territory previously held by Saudi-backed forces, according to media outlets linked to the group.
The capture of the city strengthens the Ansar Allah movement's control over a vital maritime artery, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, located just 65 kilometers from Mocha.
Bab el-Mandeb is part of one of the main maritime routes between Asia and Europe: vessels travel from the Indian Ocean through the strait, enter the Red Sea, and then pass through the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean. The Suez Canal handled approximately 12% to 15% of global trade in 2023.
International trade in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait area remains safe and stable, Yemeni rebel movement Ansar Allah (the Houthis) Spokesman Mohammed Abdel Salam has stated.
ReplyDelete"As for freedom of navigation and international trade movement in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, they are safe and regular, and the international [community] has no need to worry about this," he emphasized in his statement. The Houthi spokesman clarified that the operations currently being conducted "have limited objectives and are defensive in nature." According to his claim, military actions in a number of coastal areas are "a national operation within the framework of establishing sovereignty."
Die Huthis kontrollieren alle jemenitischen Inseln im Roten Meer sowie die Insel Perim in der Straße von Bab al-Mandab und die Stadt Mocha, teilte Ansar Allah mit.
ReplyDeleteZuvor hatte die Bewegung erklärt, dass die Schifffahrt in der Meerenge sicher sei.