Explained: Why Houthi Forces Are Racing Toward This Yemeni Port City

Fighting in Yemen has flared up sharply in recent days, with the Houthi militia attempting to capture ground that could hand it greater influence over one of the world's most important shipping corridors through the Red Sea.

The clashes have broken out between the Iran-backed Houthis and forces loyal to Yemen's internationally recognized government, which has the backing of Saudi Arabia. According to the New York Times, the fighting carries weight well beyond Yemen's borders, with analysts warning it could ripple through global trade and oil markets.

Colonel Abdul Basit al-Baher, a Yemeni government army officer, reportedly said the heaviest combat has centered on western Taiz. He believes the Houthis are maneuvering to reach Mokha, a port city sitting under 50 miles from the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the narrow passage marking the southern gateway into the Red Sea.

A second security official based in Taiz, speaking anonymously because of the sensitivity of discussing military operations, backed up that account. The official said Houthi forces appear to be cutting off supply lines into Mokha as groundwork for an eventual assault on the city.

A 2022 truce had held reasonably well since then, with the Houthis consolidating their grip on northern Yemen. But tensions with the government and Riyadh have been building for weeks, raising fears that the broader civil war could reignite.

That strait has taken on outsized importance for global energy since the United States and Israel struck Iran in February. Saudi Arabia normally moves its oil through the Strait of Hormuz, but Iran has effectively shut that route. That has left Saudi Arabia leaning heavily on the Red Sea to move most of its oil exports, a path now threatened by the renewed Houthi hostility and blockade of the past two months.

Mokha itself remains under the control of Lieutenant General Tareq Saleh, a commander aligned with the Yemeni government.

Sagar is a journalist with an interest primarily in geopolitics and American domestic politics. Before joining Times Now, he wrote for Republic and Sw... View More