Houthi militia fires ballistic missiles near Bab al-Mandab, targets Mokha again

A Yemeni military source said on Monday that Houthi militias fired five ballistic missiles toward sites near the Bab al-Mandab coastal area, marking a new escalation in regional tensions.

According to available information, four of the missiles targeted a wooden vessel that has been out of service for months. The Yemeni navy had previously seized the ship after it was used to smuggle equipment for manufacturing missiles and drones for the Houthis. Sources noted that the vessel, owned by a merchant, was empty at the time of the strike and had been docked at Bab al-Mandab after its engine failed.

The sources added that the fifth missile landed in the sea without causing casualties or further damage. The ship had previously been used to transport goods and livestock between Yemen's coast and the Horn of Africa.

Repeated attacks on Mokha

Meanwhile, correspondents for Al Arabiya and Al Hadath reported that Houthi militias again targeted the city of Mokha, with two explosions heard on Electricity Street following renewed shelling.

Earlier, government forces announced that the Houthis had targeted Mokha, near Bab al-Mandab, with ballistic missiles and drones, halting operations at the strategic Mokha port and causing extensive destruction and material losses estimated at around $16 million.

Escalation on multiple fronts

The Yemeni Armed Forces announced on Sunday that they had carried out 181 military operations, including drone strikes and missile attacks on multiple Houthi positions, resulting in dozens of casualties among the group and the destruction of numerous vehicles across several provinces.

Earlier on Monday, Yemeni government forces said they were targeting Houthi gatherings and hideouts across various fronts in Al-Jawf province. Similarly, the Yemeni News Agency reported that government troops repelled Houthi reinforcements on the northern front of Taiz city.

Houthi militias also shelled several villages in Maqbana district, west of Taiz, causing material damage but no reported injuries. The Houthis continued to attack Mokha in Taiz province with two missiles and six drones in separate waves.

In response, the Yemeni Armed Forces launched precision drone strikes on Houthi movements and positions in the Third Military Region south of Marib province, with sources confirming significant losses in personnel and equipment for the militia.

These developments come amid ongoing military escalation between government forces and the Houthis since early July, resulting in numerous casualties on both sides.