Sana’a, August 12, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Yemen’s Houthi group on Wednesday launched another ballistic missile attack on Mocha, a strategic Red Sea port city under the control of the internationally recognised government, in the latest escalation targeting government-held areas.
Two missiles struck the maritime pier, causing further damage to port infrastructure, according to a port official cited by pro-government Aljoumhouriya TV. No casualties were immediately reported in Wednesday’s attack.
The strike followed two Houthi missile and drone attacks on Mocha since Sunday that, according to government sources, killed eight people, including four government soldiers, and wounded dozens.
The Houthis have claimed that their attacks on Mocha are directed at gatherings and positions of Saudi-backed forces, which they accuse of preparing military operations against areas under Houthi control.
The latest escalation comes amid a sharp increase in Houthi missile and drone attacks on government-held areas and targets linked to Saudi Arabia. The renewed violence has raised concerns that the relative calm prevailing in Yemen since a UN-brokered truce took effect in 2022 could come under strain.
On Tuesday, the Houthis claimed an attack on a Saudi military equipment transport ship in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, besides targeting Saudi-backed forces in Mocha and Marib.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said a large number of ballistic missiles and drones had been fired at troop concentrations, weapons depots and command centres in Mocha, in southwestern Taiz province, and at Tadawin military camp in Marib province. He claimed the attacks caused dozens of casualties, including Saudi personnel. These claims were not independently confirmed by Saudi Arabia or the Yemeni government.
Meanwhile, Yemen’s pro-government Coast Guard said the commercial vessel Tihamah came under repeated missile attacks while transiting the Bab al-Mandab Strait on Tuesday. The attacks reportedly killed six people and injured 10 others.
Four of those killed were crew members — three Pakistanis and one Indonesian — while the remaining two were members of the pro-government 2nd Naval Forces Brigade. The injured included seven crew members, two Coast Guard personnel and one member of the 2nd Naval Forces Brigade.
The Coast Guard said the attacks triggered a fire aboard the vessel and caused substantial damage. Its personnel, assisted by government rescue teams, evacuated the casualties.
The Bab al-Mandab Strait, linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, is a crucial global maritime chokepoint through which major international trade and energy shipments pass.
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