Houthi escalation in Mokha: 30 ballistic missiles fired, civilian casualties reported
A major Houthi attack on Yemen’s Mokha involved 30 ballistic missiles, targeting civilian and economic sites and leaving 8 dead and 26 wounded.
Key Takeaways
AIThe city of Mokha in western Yemen came under a large-scale and intense Houthi attack at 10:40 a.m. on Sunday, marking one of the most severe escalations targeting the city and its vital facilities.
A Yemeni military source said Houthi militias launched 30 ballistic missiles targeting civilian sites in Mokha, including hospitals, residential buildings, and civil institutions.
Medical sources, cited by Al Arabiya, reported that the Houthi shelling killed eight people and wounded 26 others, including both military personnel and civilians, with casualty assessments ongoing.
The military source added that air defenses shot down 16 Houthi drones over the city.
According to Al Arabiya/Al Hadath, the Houthis also attempted to use explosive-laden boats to target Mokha port and commercial vessels docked there.
A significant portion of the attacks focused on Mokha port and civilian and economic infrastructure, causing damage to the seaport’s pier and service facilities used for transporting goods and livestock.
The strikes also hit residential areas, apartments, and locations near government offices for passports and civil affairs, with shrapnel reaching the Golden Star Hotel, where civilians and foreigners reside.
The group also tried to target the solar power station supplying electricity to the city, but the attempt was unsuccessful.
Yemeni sources confirmed that targeting the civilian port, economic facilities, and attempts to strike energy installations and commercial ships represent a serious escalation and a direct threat to civilians, commercial activity, and navigation along the western coast.
They stressed that these indiscriminate attacks will not achieve their objectives and that the escalation will be met with the necessary response to defend the land and citizens.
This Houthi escalation coincided with the group’s threats against commercial ships and warnings of closing the Bab al-Mandab Strait, at a time when the region is witnessing heightened tensions as Iran has effectively disrupted navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, amid international efforts to end the war following US and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February.