Yemen govt. forces say hit Houthis in Red Sea city
Yemeni government forces have launched strikes against Houthi fighters in the Red Sea city of Mocha amid escalating conflict. The fighting has intensified following a Houthi offensive that secured control over key maritime routes, despite reported requests for U.S. intervention.
Why it matters
The conflict threatens global oil supply chains and maritime security in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, drawing in regional powers.
Yemen's Saudi-backed government forces said on Saturday (September 12, 2026) that they had struck Iran-allied Houthi fighters in the Red Sea city of Mocha, as the number of civilians forced to flee the renewed fighting soared.
U.S. news site Axios reported that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman had twice called U.S. President Donald Trump to request American strikes on the Houthis last week but the request was rejected.
The ongoing clashes follow a week-long Houthi offensive that culminated in the group capturing the remainder of Yemen's Red Sea coast and several strategic islands, and cementing their hold on the Bab al-Mandab Strait at the sea's southern entrance.
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