Yemen's government says it retook Mokha; Houthis deny losing the port
Yemen's Saudi-backed government says its forces retook the Red Sea port of Mokha on Monday and secured the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The Houthis deny it, and sources told Reuters and AFP that troops had only reached the city's edge. The strait matters because Saudi oil now ships through the Red Sea while Hormuz stays mostly shut.
Yemen's internationally recognized government says its forces captured the Red Sea city of Mokha on Monday afternoon with help from Saudi air strikes. Its military also says it has "secured" the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the narrow passage at the south end of the Red Sea.
The picture on the ground is not clear. Government and military sources later told Reuters and AFP that troops had only reached Mokha's outskirts. AFP's sources would confirm only that forces took the Dhubab military airfield and cut a road toward Bab al-Mandab. On Monday evening, a Houthi official, Fuad Sinan, posted a video saying he was walking the streets of Mokha. Al Jazeera said it could not verify either side's claims.
The fighting is fierce. A Saudi-led coalition says 100 fighter jets are backing the push and that it has destroyed 324 "high-value" targets. Houthi-run Al Masirah TV said Saudi strikes killed a schoolgirl and a woman in Sanaa. The Houthis say they hit Riyadh's main airport, an Aramco refinery in Rabigh and Abha airport. Those claims could not be checked.
The war is pulling in neighbors. Turkey and Pakistan agreed at a meeting in Riyadh to quickly send forces to Saudi Arabia under a mutual defense pact. UN chief António Guterres said he was "deeply concerned by the sharp escalation."
Yemen's civil war began in 2014. A Saudi-led coalition joined the fight in 2015. An informal truce started to fall apart in July. Last month, the Houthis seized Mokha, Dhubab and Perim Island, all overlooking the strait. The strait matters to Saudi Arabia, which has leaned on Red Sea shipping since the Strait of Hormuz closed.
On Sunday, Presidential Leadership Council head Rashad al-Alimi announced the offensive, which he called Operation Yemen Dawn. The government's health ministry says at least 959 people have been killed and 5,000 hurt since Aug. 6. The UN says 197,000 more people have been displaced.
What we know: A major government offensive is underway near the strait, with Saudi air support.
What we don't: Who actually controls Mokha this morning.
Where outlets agree The BBC and Al Jazeera both report that Yemen's government claims it took Mokha while the Houthis deny losing the city.
Where they differ Yemen's military says Mokha has fallen, but government sources quoted by Reuters and AFP say troops had only reached the city's outskirts.