Saudi jets strike Mocha airport as Yemen conflict escalates

The Saudi Air Force has carried out two airstrikes on the airport in Yemen’s Red Sea port city of Mocha, located in southwestern Taiz province.

The strikes were reported by Saba, an agency affiliated with Yemen’s Houthi movement, also known as Ansar Allah. The report did not provide details on casualties or the extent of damage caused by the strikes.

Houthi forces reportedly seized control of Mocha on September 10, further intensifying the conflict along Yemen’s strategically important Red Sea coast.

The situation in Yemen has sharply deteriorated since early September, when the Houthis launched an offensive in the country’s southwest. Alongside their ground operations, the group has carried out missile and drone attacks targeting Red Sea coastal areas and the vicinity of Taiz.

The Houthis are seeking to sever routes leading to Mocha and advance toward areas near the strategically significant Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a key maritime chokepoint linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.

By Vafa Guliyeva