·
·
Saturday, 3 October 2026dailybeirut.com
World
Houthi forces launched two ballistic missiles toward the Bab al-Mandab Strait and Red Sea on Monday, following identical strikes on Al-Mokha city and port the previous day.
Houthi militia units escalated attacks along Yemen’s western coast, launching two ballistic missiles toward the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Red Sea on Monday. The strikes came one day after the group fired two similar missiles at Al-Mokha city and its port.
Military sources within the National Resistance Forces told “Iram News” that the Houthi militia fired two ballistic missiles toward the Bab al-Mandab area. According to those sources, one of the two missiles launched at Al-Mokha the previous day landed in a street inside the city, causing no casualties.
The Media Center of the Taiz Axis reported that armed forces reconnaissance teams observed the Houthi militia launch two ballistic missiles toward Al-Mokha city and the Red Sea from areas under their control in the Al-Hawban suburb. These launch sites include the former headquarters of the 170th Air Defense Brigade, located on Mount Uman east of Al-Mokha city.
This latest escalation along the western coast follows a series of recent missile attacks targeting Al-Mokha city and port — among the most intense waves of such activity in the region in years.
According to port management, Al-Mokha port sustained more than 25 missile strikes over several days. The attacks forced the suspension of all commercial and maritime operations, rendering the port nonoperational. Port authorities estimated damage-related losses at approximately $16 million.
The assaults also disrupted operations for dozens of maritime agencies and customs clearance firms linked to the port. Concerns are growing over potential economic and humanitarian consequences for Al-Mokha and other areas along Yemen’s western coast.
In recent days, Houthi forces have targeted locations and facilities in and around Al-Mokha, using both ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles. Government forces stated that their air defenses intercepted and shot down 11 drones during one such attack.
A separate attack on 9 August resulted in seven fatalities and 30 injuries, including both military personnel and civilians.
The attacks coincide with a wider Houthi escalation across multiple Yemeni fronts. The United Nations has issued warnings that Yemen faces the gravest risk of returning to full-scale war since the UN-brokered truce in 2022.
