Houthis Reportedly Capture Mokha, Red Sea Islands

Iran-backed Houthi forces reportedly captured Yemen’s Red Sea port of Mokha and strategically important islands including Mayyun (Perim), with some Yemeni officials saying the group controls the country’s entire Red Sea coast and the Bab el-Mandeb area. The claims have not been fully confirmed by the internationally recognized Yemeni government. The advances place the Houthis near a major maritime chokepoint through which roughly 12% of global trade passes, raising fears of attacks, blockades or tolls affecting commercial shipping and energy supplies as Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz disrupts alternative oil routes. Saudi Arabia carried out airstrikes on Houthi positions and Mokha airport, while Iran praised the offensive and urged Riyadh to end its Yemen blockade and resume negotiations; oil prices rose above $100 a barrel, and the United States was not immediately expected to launch strikes. The escalation represents the Houthis’ biggest territorial gain in years, while Anthropic said it blocked users in Houthi-held northern Yemen who allegedly sought to use its AI models for advanced weapons development.