SANAA(The COW News Digital) Saudi Arabia has carried out two airstrikes on Mocha Airport in Yemen as Houthi fighters reportedly advance toward the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, raising fresh concerns over the security of one of the world’s key maritime trade routes.
According to Houthi-linked media reports, Saudi aircraft targeted Mocha Airport in Yemen’s western coastal region. No immediate information was available on casualties or the extent of damage caused by the strikes.
The reported airstrikes came after Houthi forces seized control of Mocha on Thursday amid an intensifying military campaign against Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces. Fighting has reportedly escalated across several coastal areas along the Red Sea following the offensive launched by the Houthis last week.
Meanwhile, Yemeni government sources told Reuters that Houthi fighters had reached the town of Dhabab, located close to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and opposite Perim Island.
The advance toward Dhabab is strategically significant because control of the area, along with Perim Island, could provide the Houthis with greater leverage over the approaches to Bab el-Mandeb.
The narrow waterway connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and serves as a major international shipping corridor. Large volumes of commercial goods moving between Asia and Europe pass through the route, making its security important for global trade.
The latest developments have therefore raised concerns about the potential impact on maritime traffic if fighting spreads closer to the strait. Any disruption could increase pressure on international shipping, energy supplies and regional security.
The reported Houthi advance comes at a particularly sensitive time, as wider tensions involving Iran and the United States have already created additional risks for major maritime routes in the region.
Despite the security concerns, commercial shipping through Bab el-Mandeb has not yet shown a major decline, according to figures cited by Reuters. Twenty-six commercial vessels reportedly passed through the strait on Thursday, broadly in line with recent average traffic levels.
However, the continued Houthi advance toward the strategic waterway could change the security calculations for shipping companies and regional governments.
The situation remains fluid, with further military developments expected along Yemen’s western coast. Any sustained disruption around Bab el-Mandeb could have consequences well beyond Yemen, potentially affecting international trade routes and global energy markets.
