Lorientlejour

Houthis seize Mokha city on Red Sea: Yemen military source

The Jerusalem Post

Houthi threat to Red Sea expands with takeover of Mocha

The New York Times

Yemen’s Houthis Seize Strategic Red Sea Port, Officials Say

The Times of Israel

Yemen’s Houthis seize port city of Mocha, closing in on strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait

Israel Hayom

Houthis seize strategic Red Sea city

The Guardian

Houthis seize key Yemeni port of Mocha in drive to take control of Red Sea coast

Arab News

Analysis: Houthis strikes on Saudi Arabia signal a reckless gambit

PressTV

Yemen armed forces seize strategic Red Sea port city of Mokha

MarioNawfal

BrettErickson28

Metaculus

Will state-based conflict between Iran and Saudi Arabia cause at least 1,000 deaths in a single year before 2070?

Al Jazeera

Saudi Arabia says 73 wounded as Houthis attack civilian and energy sites

Donald Trump

Bezalel Smotrich

Antony Blinken

Daniel DePetris

Dennis A. Ross

Chris Coons

Prince Faisal bin Farhan

Giorgio Cafiero

Khaled Elgindy

Neil Quilliam

Muhammad Al-Isa

Aryeh Lightstone

F. Gregory Gause, III

Rob Greenway

Paul Salem

Jon Alterman

Elham Fakhro

Robert Mogielnicki

Kenneth Katzman

Yechiel Leiter

Boaz Bismuth

Emad Mekay

The Saudi Foreign Ministry

Firas Maksad

"[T]he environment has changed completely since his first presidency, making the prospect of success practically zero."

"Normalization with Saudi Arabia is far from a done deal, and I think US officials have been overly-optimistic."

"I would say certainly normalization with [Israel] is not just at risk. It is off the table until we have a resolution to Palestinian statehood."

"If normalization with Saudi Arabia depends on progress toward a Palestinian state even by a millimeter, it won't happen."

"[P]eace will happen [between Israel and Saudi Arabia]."

"[W]e are on the cusp of a major breakthrough [in normalizing Israel-Saudi Arabia relations]."

"I think it'll happen."

"I think Saudi Arabia will end up being in the Abraham accords. ... Soon. Not a very long way."

Will Israel and Saudi Arabia Normalize Relations During Donald Trump's Second Presidency?

According to Yemeni government military sources, the Houthis seized the Red Sea port city of Mocha (Mokha in Arabic) on Thursday and were advancing south toward the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, one of the world's busiest shipping routes.

According to Yemeni government military sources, the Houthis seized the Red Sea port city of Mocha (Mokha in Arabic) on Thursday and were advancing south toward the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, one of the world's busiest shipping routes.

Witnesses said rebel fighters entered Mocha chanting "death to America, death to Israel." Government sources said Houthi forces were also attacking the Hanish islands, while allied troops relocated south to Dhubab, which sits on the strait.

Witnesses said rebel fighters entered Mocha chanting "death to America, death to Israel." Government sources said Houthi forces were also attacking the Hanish islands, while allied troops relocated south to Dhubab, which sits on the strait.

Maj. Gen. Tareq Saleh, whose forces are aligned with Yemen's internationally recognized government, said he ordered troops on the western coast to reorganize and set up an alternative command center in a secure location.

Maj. Gen. Tareq Saleh, whose forces are aligned with Yemen's internationally recognized government, said he ordered troops on the western coast to reorganize and set up an alternative command center in a secure location.

Mocha lies less than 50 miles from the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. The Houthis have previously attacked ships in the Red Sea from territory farther north in Yemen, but Mocha's control gives them a foothold closer to the strait.

Mocha lies less than 50 miles from the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. The Houthis have previously attacked ships in the Red Sea from territory farther north in Yemen, but Mocha's control gives them a foothold closer to the strait.

This comes as Saudi Arabia said Houthi drone and missile attacks on civilian and economic sites in the south wounded 73 people. Saudi civil defense issued repeated emergency alerts for Khamis Mushait province, later saying the danger had passed.

This comes as Saudi Arabia said Houthi drone and missile attacks on civilian and economic sites in the south wounded 73 people. Saudi civil defense issued repeated emergency alerts for Khamis Mushait province, later saying the danger had passed.

Pakistan's foreign ministry said Thursday that it was not discussing a military response under <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.verity.news/story/2026/turkey-saudi-arabia-pakistan-launch-defense-pact">the defense pact signed last month with Saudi Arabia and Turkey</a>. The pact is intended to be defensive in nature and is unlikely to cover Saudi military operations in Yemen.

Pakistan's foreign ministry said Thursday that it was not discussing a military response under the defense pact signed last month with Saudi Arabia and Turkey. The pact is intended to be defensive in nature and is unlikely to cover Saudi military operations in Yemen.

Lorientlejour #

The Jerusalem Post #

The New York Times #

The Times of Israel #

Israel Hayom #

The Guardian #

Arab News #

PressTV #

Metaculus #

Al Jazeera #3127

Yemen's Houthi rebels seized the Red Sea port city of Mokha on Thursday, according to Yemeni government military sources, and were advancing south toward the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, one of the world's busiest shipping routes.

Yemen's Houthi rebels seized the Red Sea port city of Mokha on Thursday, according to Yemeni government military sources, and were advancing south toward the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, one of the world's busiest shipping routes.

Witnesses said rebel fighters entered Mokha chanting "death to America, death to Israel." Government sources said Houthi forces were also attacking the Hanish islands, while allied troops relocated south to Dhubab, which sits on the strait.

Witnesses said rebel fighters entered Mokha chanting "death to America, death to Israel." Government sources said Houthi forces were also attacking the Hanish islands, while allied troops relocated south to Dhubab, which sits on the strait.

Mokha lies less than 50 miles from the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Analyst Adam Baron of New America said the seizure was "potentially one of the more significant turning points" of the Yemen conflict in recent years.

Mokha lies less than 50 miles from the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Analyst Adam Baron of New America said the seizure was "potentially one of the more significant turning points" of the Yemen conflict in recent years.

Saudi Arabia said Houthi drone and missile attacks on civilian and economic sites in the south wounded 73 people. Saudi civil defense issued repeated emergency alerts for Khamis Mushait province, later saying the danger had passed.

Saudi Arabia said Houthi drone and missile attacks on civilian and economic sites in the south wounded 73 people. Saudi civil defense issued repeated emergency alerts for Khamis Mushait province, later saying the danger had passed.

Pakistan's foreign ministry said Thursday that no military response was under discussion under the defense pact signed last month with Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Oil prices have risen above $100 a barrel amid the fighting.

Pakistan's foreign ministry said Thursday that no military response was under discussion under the defense pact signed last month with Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Oil prices have risen above $100 a barrel amid the fighting.

Yemen's forces are rolling back a foreign invasion that has starved and bombed the country for over a decade, and taking Mokha proves the Saudi-backed mercenary lines were always hollow. Forty airstrikes in a single day couldn't stop the advance, which says everything about who actually has the will to fight. Riyadh spent nearly 12 years blockading Yemen and looting its resources — the Red Sea is answering back.

Yemen's forces are rolling back a foreign invasion that has starved and bombed the country for over a decade, and taking Mokha proves the Saudi-backed mercenary lines were always hollow. Forty airstrikes in a single day couldn't stop the advance, which says everything about who actually has the will to fight. Riyadh spent nearly 12 years blockading Yemen and looting its resources — the Red Sea is answering back.

A militia that fires ballistic missiles at oil facilities and wounds 73 civilians, including women and children, has forfeited any claim to be liberating anyone. The push toward Bab Al-Mandab is about choking global shipping to win leverage for Tehran, not about Yemeni sovereignty. Saudi restraint has been met with escalation, so deterrence now has to be more than a warning.

A militia that fires ballistic missiles at oil facilities and wounds 73 civilians, including women and children, has forfeited any claim to be liberating anyone. The push toward Bab Al-Mandab is about choking global shipping to win leverage for Tehran, not about Yemeni sovereignty. Saudi restraint has been met with escalation, so deterrence now has to be more than a warning.

The Iran War

The Yemen Crisis

Houthis Seize Mokha, Push Toward Key Red Sea Strait

Houthis Seize Mokha, Push Toward Key Red Sea Strait

Yemen

Saudi Arabia

Iran

Armed conflict

Houthis are rolling back a foreign invasion that has starved and bombed the country for over a decade, and taking Mocha proves the Saudi-backed mercenary lines were always hollow. Forty airstrikes in a single day couldn't stop the advance, which says everything about who actually has the will to fight. Riyadh spent years blockading Yemen and looting its resources — the Red Sea is answering back.

Houthis are rolling back a foreign invasion that has starved and bombed the country for over a decade, and taking Mocha proves the Saudi-backed mercenary lines were always hollow. Forty airstrikes in a single day couldn't stop the advance, which says everything about who actually has the will to fight. Riyadh spent years blockading Yemen and looting its resources — the Red Sea is answering back.

A militia that fires ballistic missiles at oil facilities and wounds 73 civilians, including women and children, has forfeited any claim to be liberating anyone. The push toward Bab al-Mandeb is about choking global shipping to win leverage for Tehran, not about Yemeni sovereignty. Saudi restraint has been met with escalation, so deterrence now has to be more than a warning.

A militia that fires ballistic missiles at oil facilities and wounds 73 civilians, including women and children, has forfeited any claim to be liberating anyone. The push toward Bab al-Mandeb is about choking global shipping to win leverage for Tehran, not about Yemeni sovereignty. Saudi restraint has been met with escalation, so deterrence now has to be more than a warning.

Trump's Middle East strategy is looking less like strength and more like strategic failure. While Washington armed Saudi Arabia with thousands of bombs and encouraged its campaign against the Houthis, Ansarallah seized key Mocha, threatening the Bab al-Mandeb. If Dhubab falls, America's allies could lose another vital port — raising a stark question: what exactly did Trump's military-first approach accomplish?

Trump's Middle East strategy is looking less like strength and more like strategic failure. While Washington armed Saudi Arabia with thousands of bombs and encouraged its campaign against the Houthis, Ansarallah seized key Mocha, threatening the Bab al-Mandeb. If Dhubab falls, America's allies could lose another vital port — raising a stark question: what exactly did Trump's military-first approach accomplish?

Mario Nawfal

Brett Erickson

There's a 20% chance that state-based conflict between Iran and Saudi Arabia will cause at least 1,000 deaths in a single year before 2070, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

There's a 20% chance that state-based conflict between Iran and Saudi Arabia will cause at least 1,000 deaths in a single year before 2070, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Houthis Seize Port of Mocha, Push Toward Key Red Sea Strait

Houthis Seize MokhaPort of Mocha, Push Toward Key Red Sea Strait

The Spin

Metaculus Prediction

The Controversies

Quilliam

Fakhro

Farhan

Smotrich

Lightstone

Leiter

Greenway

Trump

Go Deeper

Sign Up for Our Free Newsletters
Sign Up for Our Free Newsletters