Officials: Houthis take control of Mocha in Yemen
Three Yemeni government officials opposed to the Houthis said that the group had taken control of the port city of Mocha on Yemen's Red Sea coast. The city is located less than 50 miles from the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the Jerusalem Post reports, citing Reuters.
Government forces withdraw
Earlier, Arab media reported that Yemeni government forces left the city on Thursday morning as the Houthis advanced toward it. Photos and videos were also circulated on social media that reportedly showed Houthi fighters in Mocha.
The publication notes that the capture of Mocha could strengthen Houthi control in the Red Sea area and around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
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Statement by anti-Houthi forces
At the same time, the National Resistance Front, a coalition of forces opposing the Houthis, said that a commander brought a military contingent into Mocha on Thursday morning. The coalition is led by Tareq Saleh, a former Houthi ally and a senior Yemeni government official.
The front's official media outlet reported that the reorganization of forces and the strengthening of Mocha's defenses were continuing in coordination with the anti-Houthi coalition. It also said that the front's forces had clashed with Houthi naval units.
