The Houthi takeover of Mokha comes amid intensified fighting that has sparked fears of a return to civil war. The Red Sea has served as a key alternative to the Strait of Hormuz amid the US war with Iran.

Government forces retreat south to establish alternate command center, aiming to keep vital shipping route in their hands; women and children flee Mocha for safer provinces

Iran-backed militia's advance threatens vital Bab Al Mandeb strait and risks disrupting global energy shipments

Houthi capture could have implications well beyond fighting in Yemen and add another threat to global shipping

Houthi militants seized Yemen's Mocha port, threatening vital global energy supplies. This escalation occurs as Iran and the United States engage in tit-for-tat attacks. …