Saudi-backed forces claimed to have recaptured the Red Sea port city from the Houthis. Reuters said several government sources put troops only on its outskirts by late Monday.
Yemen’s Saudi-backed government said its forces retook the port city of Mokha from the Iran-backed Houthis on Monday after fierce fighting. The claim was not independently verified by CNBC, and the Houthis reportedly denied that the city had fallen.
The government said its troops advanced along the coast near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and took several strategic positions. It also announced an offensive toward Sanaa, the capital held by the Houthis since 2014.
Reports on the ground remained unsettled. The Associated Press reported that Saudi-led coalition forces had retaken several areas around the strait. Reuters cited four government sources who said forces had reached only the outskirts of Mokha by late Monday, while Houthi fighters were withdrawing. Control of the port itself therefore remained unconfirmed.
Mokha lies about 75 kilometres north of Bab el-Mandeb, a key route linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. The Houthis seized the city in early September, according to previous AP reporting. Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz on the other side of the Arabian Peninsula has added to concern about regional energy flows.
Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan also agreed on Monday to activate deterrence measures and rapidly deploy forces to support the kingdom and counter Houthi attacks. A joint statement after an emergency meeting of their defence ministers in Riyadh said the countries had a shared commitment to collective defence.
CNBC reported that oil futures edged lower early Tuesday as traders monitored the conflict and potential supply disruptions. Brent futures for December delivery were down 0.3% at $100.12 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures for November were nearly 0.9% lower at $88.63. ING strategists told CNBC that uncertainty over Gulf supplies could persist until there were signs of progress toward a U.S.-Iran deal.