Yemen government says Houthis fired ballistic missiles at Mocha port

ADEN, Yemen — Yemen's Armed Forces, aligned with the internationally recognized government, said Houthi forces fired two ballistic missiles at the strategic port of Mocha on the Red Sea on Wednesday, striking facilities and causing damage to a dock and several commercial installations. A military source said the extent of the damage from the latest strike was still being assessed. The attack followed a larger assault on Mocha city and its port on August 9, in which the Yemeni army said seven people were killed and about 30 others, including civilians and soldiers, were wounded. That strike combined ballistic missiles and drones, according to military statements at the time. The warring sides have exchanged accusations over the nature of the targets, with reports indicating that civilian neighborhoods and vital infrastructure were affected while the group maintained it was striking military positions and weapons depots. Mocha sits near key maritime shipping routes in the Red Sea, close to the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Yemeni authorities warned that repeated strikes could disrupt port operations, increase risks for commercial shipping in the area, raise insurance and freight costs, and threaten the wider maritime environment around the Bab al-Mandab Strait.