Yemen's Houthis reportedly seize strategic Red Sea port of Mokha

UPDATE - follow-up to 'Yemen's Houthis reportedly seize strategic Red Sea port of Mokha': Yemen's Houthi rebels have taken control of the strategic Red Sea port city of Mokha from Saudi-backed forces. The capture brings the Iran-backed group closer to dominating the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a key shipping route that connects Asia and Europe. The Houthi fighters claim they pose no threat to international shipping but threaten vessels from Saudi Arabia, which has relied on the Red Sea for oil exports since the US and Israel's war effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf. The escalation of the conflict has led to a surge in oil prices and hundreds of civilian deaths, with thousands displaced since the Houthi offensive in the south-west a week ago. Mokha residents describe the takeover as sudden and chaotic, with many families fleeing their homes amid reports of injured civilians with no aid in sight. The Houthi fighters are now patrolling the streets of Mokha, while government offices and shops remain closed. Many displaced families are heading east towards Aden, where Yemen's internationally recognized government is based. The Houthi rebels did not confirm the capture, but say they will determine the city's fate.