Yemen government forces say Houthi ‘members, vehicles’ targeted in Mocha

Yemeni government forces reported launching air strikes against Houthi fighters along the Red Sea coast after the armed group seized full control of the shoreline. State news agency Saba said the operations struck Houthi positions near the port of Mocha as well as along the Mocha-Dhubab road, roughly 11 kilometres from the city. The government’s military spokesman, Majed Abdullah al-Nazili, was cited by Saba describing the strikes as targeting Houthi vehicles and personnel. The reported action came amid what officials described as a sharp escalation in fighting across several fronts, with intense clashes focused on the country’s western coast. The Houthis took control of Mocha on Thursday and captured the island of Mayun on Friday, completing their hold over the Bab al-Mandeb strait, a narrow passage that is vital for international oil shipments. The United Nations and the International Organization for Migration said the recent surge in violence has displaced nearly 46,000 people since fighting intensified earlier in the week, and aid agencies are finding it harder to reach affected communities following the fall of Mocha. The crisis has had wider regional repercussions. Saudi Arabia temporarily shut down its 1,200 km East-West oil pipeline after a drone attack on Friday; the drones were reported to have been launched from Iraq and an investigation is underway. Iraq’s parliament speaker condemned the use of Iraqi territory for the strikes. Separately, US media reported Saudi requests for American air strikes on the Houthis were denied by President Donald Trump, and the head of US Central Command has travelled to Saudi Arabia for consultations, a source told Al Jazeera.