Yemen has suspended operations at a strategic Red Sea port following recent attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels that killed seven people and caused an estimated $16 million in losses according to media reports.
The disruption comes amid heightened tensions across key Middle Eastern waterways, with another ship attack reported in the Strait of Hormuz as the US and Iran remain at odds over control of the critical route.
Earlier on Friday, the legitimate government of Yemen declared that the Houthis fired six ballistic missiles at Mokha. Mokha is a city located near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which is considered an important chokepoint of the world between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Brigadier General Yahya Saree, the military spokesman for the Houthis, stated that the attack targeted the military positions and ships of Saudi Arabia.
Although Mokha is not as big as other port cities like Aden and Hodeidah in Yemen, its position makes it strategically significant. If the port is shut down for long periods of time, this will only add to the existing challenges faced by business people operating in the Red Sea.
The latest developments also come as the conflict in south Lebanon escalates. The death toll from Israeli airstrikes in the region rose to 11, marking the deadliest day since a June ceasefire. Israel said the strikes were carried out in response to a Hezbollah attack that wounded three Israeli soldiers.