Houthis seize key Yemeni port city as Iran pushes for new foothold on Red Sea coast

Fighters loyal to the Houthi authorities, shouts slogans during a rally to recruit more fighters, in Sanaa on September 10, 2026.

Mohammed Huwais | Afp | Getty Images

The Iran-backed Houthi militant group has seized control of Yemen's port city of Mokha on the Red Sea coast, bringing Tehran closer to securing another point of leverage in its with the U.S.

The Houthis' capture of Mokha is regarded as a severe setback to Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni forces it backs. It could also increase Iranian pressure around two critically important oil choke points on either side of the Arabian Peninsula: the and the .

The Houthis seized control of the city on Yemen's Red Sea coast on Thursday, according to

"The Houthis were already threatening Saudi shipping from previous positions, but their capture of Mocha opens up the possibility of further advances towards the Bab el-Mandeb coastline and a tighter grip on the chokepoint," Kinnear said in a research note.

Yemeni coastguards loyal to the internationally-recognised government ride in a patrol boat in the Red Sea off the government-held town of Mokha in the western Taiz province, close to the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait, on April 15, 2024.

Khaled Ziad | Afp | Getty Images

As the war continues, Kinnear said both Tehran and Washington believe time is on their side, making a new truce unlikely for now.

"Oil and gas prices, and more specifically refined products such as diesel, will continue to tick upwards while that remains the case – even if US convoys and Strait of Hormuz export alternatives cushion the price impact," Kinnear said.

Oil prices traded lower on Friday morning, but both major benchmarks remained on course to end the week above $100 per barrel for the first time since mid-May.

International benchmark futures with November expiry traded 2.1% lower at $105.37 per barrel, while U.S. futures with October expiry were last seen 1.7% lower at $100.76.

The resilience of the oil market is being tested by a clearer recognition of the mounting threat to regional supply, strategists at ING

"As the Houthis have taken control of the Red Sea port of Mokha in Yemen, recent events increase the threat to shipping around the Bab al-Mandeb Strait," they added.