Iran‑backed Houthi advance toward Bab el‑Mandeb tightens grip on southern Red Sea
Houthi forces have captured Yemen’s Red Sea port of Mocha and the Hanish islands and now control most of Taiz governorate, according to regional reporting. With positions close to the Bab el‑Mandeb strait and support from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, their gains raise the stakes for governments and shipowners that rely on the southern Red Sea corridor.
Control of the southern Red Sea is shifting further toward Yemen’s Houthi movement, increasing the risks around one of the world’s busiest maritime corridors.
Yemeni observers report that Houthi forces, also known as Ansarallah, have pushed south in Taiz governorate to capture the port city of Mocha and seized the Hanish islands in the Red Sea. With these gains, the group is said to control about 80% of Taiz and to hold positions roughly 15 kilometers from the Bab el‑Mandeb strait, the narrow passage that links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. Regional outlets describe Mocha as the last Red Sea port previously under the authority of Yemen’s internationally recognized government.
Regional reporting ties the advance to outside backing. Sources say Iranian weapons and military advice helped Yemen’s Houthis seize Mocha, with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards supplying weapons and personnel, guiding the offensive and urging the group to step up attacks on Saudi Arabia. Saudi‑backed Yemeni forces, by contrast, reportedly sought more air support but mainly received logistics, intelligence and weapons as Riyadh tried to limit deeper involvement.
For shipping, the new map matters immediately. Bab el‑Mandeb is already a choke point for container ships, bulk carriers and oil tankers moving between the Suez Canal and the Indian Ocean. Control of Mocha gives the Houthis another port and logistical hub on the Red Sea. Holding the Hanish archipelago and adjacent coastline brings more of the approach to Bab el‑Mandeb within their reach.
This also widens the space where Iranian influence is felt. Reports that the Revolutionary Guards are present in Yemen assisting ground offensives and attacks on Saudi infrastructure, together with indications that Iran has resumed limited ballistic missile production underground, link battles in Taiz to a broader contest over key waterways from the Red Sea to the Strait of Hormuz.
Red Sea trade will not stop because Mocha and the Hanish islands have changed hands, but it becomes more fragile when a heavily armed non‑state group, backed by a regional power, controls more of the coastline and nearby islands. The clearest signals to watch next are any change in the pattern of Houthi attacks near Bab el‑Mandeb, signs of heavier weapons appearing on the newly held islands, and adjustments in how regional navies patrol and escort traffic through the southern Red Sea.
Sources
- OSINT