File image.
At least seven civilians and military personnel were reportedly killed and around 35 others injured on August 9 in strikes by the Houthis (Ansar Allah) on the port of Mokha and its surroundings in western Yemen.
One of Yemen’s major ports, Mokha is located close to the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a strategic maritime chokepoint linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. The port is currently under the control of Yemeni government forces backed by Saudi Arabia.
Citing a military source in Yemen’s Joint Forces, the Yemeni Armed Forces Media Center said that the deadly Houthi strikes involved more than 25 artillery rockets, “intensive waves” of drones, and an explosive-laden boat, mainly targeting the port.
The attack damaged parts of the quay and facilities used to service ships and handle cargo and livestock, while shrapnel also struck residential areas, apartments, and gatherings near the passport and civil registry office, reaching the Golden Star Hotel, the source added.
It also claimed that the Houthis attempted to target the solar power station supplying Mokha with electricity, but failed to hit it as air defenses confronted successive aerial threats.
The casualties resulted from Houthi shelling of the port and residential neighborhoods in the western city of Mokha in the province of Taiz, a medical source told the government-run Saba news agency.
Separately, the governor of the province of Hodeidah, al-Hassan Taher, survived an assassination attempt after a Houthi artillery rocket targeted his residence in the government-held al-Khawkhah district in western Yemen, according to the local Aljoumhouriya TV.
The Houthis later claimed responsibility, with spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree saying in a statement that the group carried out a “large-scale and high-quality military operation” targeting “Saudi military concentrations and weapons depots in the Mokha area.”
Saree said the attack involved rockets and drones, claiming that the strikes caused extensive damage to military equipment and weapons and killed and wounded dozens.
Footage released by the group later showed the launch of multiple Saeer precision-guided artillery rockets and what appears to be an upgraded version of the Samad-1 one-way attack drone. The Saeer is believed to have a range anywhere between 100 and 200 kilometers, while the range of the Samad-1 is reported to be around 500 kilometers.
The Houthis announced a “maritime blockade” against Saudi Arabia last month, and since then the group has carried out a series of attacks targeting Saudi airports, oil facilities, Yemeni government forces, and tankers in the Red Sea.
The last few days saw a major escalation by the group. Just hours before the attack on Mokha, Houthi drones targeted Aramco’s Jazan refinery in southwestern Saudi Arabia, setting it ablaze.
The escalation came amid reports that Saudi Arabia is preparing an offensive against the Houthis, including a potential ground operation, in cooperation with the Yemeni government. At the same time, the kingdom is said to be engaged diplomatically through Oman in an attempt to de-escalate.
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