Iran-backed Houthi rebels take over a strategic port city in Yemen, posing a new threat to shipping

The Bab el-Mandeb has become even more important for global energy supplies since shipping through the nearby Strait of Hormuz was disrupted by Iran after it was attacked by the United States and Israel in February.

Mokha represents the Houthis biggest territorial gain since a truce signed in 2022 to end a civil war that lasted more than a decade. A return to full-scale civil war would be devastating for the Yemeni people and potentially world energy supplies.

Residents of Mokha have told AP that Houthi Forces can be seen all around the city and that markets have shuttered. Mokha was long held by forces aligned with Yemen's internationally recognised government.