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News: Houthi rebels launched a major offensive near Yemen’s Bab al-Mandab Strait, killing at least 129 people, as they seek to seize the port city of Mokha and key positions overlooking the vital Red Sea shipping route.
About Port of Mokha
- Location: Mokha port is situated in the western Taiz province of Yemen.
- It lies on the Red Sea coast and near Bab al-Mandab Strait.
- Strategic importance: Its strategic location has made it an important hub on ancient trade routes.
- It was historically connected with ports along the coasts of Yemen and Abyssinia (modern-day Ethiopia).
- Maritime route: It also lies on the sea route linking India and the Mediterranean, connecting trade between East and West.
- Port: The Port of Mokha is among the ancient and key ports of Yemen.
- By the 17th century, the area was the most prominent port in Yemen, particularly known for its export of the Mocha coffee bean.
- The modern port was established in 1955.
- Historically, it served as a capital for both the Ayyubid and Rasulid states during the 6th to 9th centuries AH (12th – 15th centuries CE).
- Recent incident: Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels launched a major attack to gain control of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the gateway to the Red Sea.
- They aimed to cut off the government-controlled port city of Mokha.
- Capturing Mokha port or Bab al-Mandab could strengthen the Houthis’ military and political position in negotiations with Yemen’s government and Saudi Arabia.
