Iran-backed Houthis seize key Red Sea port in blow to Saudi forces

The capture of Mokha gives the Houthis a stronger position along Yemen’s western coast. (AP Photo) Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi militants have seized the key Red Sea port of Mokha and advanced towards the Hanish islands, bringing them closer to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and raising the prospect of a major new threat to one of the world's most vital shipping routes.The rapid advance has brought the Houthis closer to the narrow maritime gateway linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, potentially giving the group greater leverage over a route critical to global oil and commodity supplies.Houthi forces have pushed Saudi-backed government troops south towards Dhubab, directly opposite Perim island at the entrance to the strait, according to two Yemeni government sources. Control of the area could put the Houthis in a position to threaten maritime traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb.The development marks a potentially significant escalation in Yemen's long-running conflict, with fighting spreading along the country's western coastline and raising fears that the battle could spill directly into one of the world's busiest maritime corridors.The stakes extend well beyond...