Fresh threat to Red Sea shipping? Iran-backed Houthis seize Yemen port city Mocha

Iran-aligned Houthi militants have seized control of Yemen's port city of Mocha, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing four Yemeni government military sources.

Houthi militants have tightened their grip near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and raised a fresh threat to global energy supplies.

The seizure came hours after US President Donald Trump said he expected the war to end after the midterm elections.

The Houthis have also been attacking the strategic Hanish islands, the report said, citing military sources.

The islands sit near the southern entrance to the Red Sea, a key shipping route linking the region to global markets.

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Pressure On Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has increasingly relied on the Red Sea route after the Iran conflict effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz.

The Houthis entered the current war alongside Iran with an attack on Israel on March 28. They largely stayed quiet before declaring a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia in July and stepping up attacks on southern Saudi Arabia in September.

Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, and Iran remain long-standing regional rivals despite a China-brokered thaw in relations.

Tensions remained high on Thursday. Saudi civil defence authorities issued emergency alerts in the southwestern city of Khamis Mushait for the fourth time in 24 hours as Houthi attacks continued, the report said.

Pakistan has also urged Tehran to rein in its Houthi allies and prevent the crisis from escalating. A senior Iranian official reportedly confirmed that Pakistan conveyed the message to Tehran on Tuesday. Iran's response was that "Iran does not control the Houthis."

Associated Press earlier reported that if the Houthis take Mocha, that's also one more step toward the Bab el-Mandeb, creating further complications for shipping on the Red Sea.

The Red Sea is one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes and has become important as Iran continues to target ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump said that oil prices that have surged because of the Iran war likely won't come down until after the US midterm elections. "Right after the election, oil prices are going to be tumbling downward," Trump said in an exchange with reporters. "I think it's going to take a little bit longer than the midterm." He added that he believes Iran will finally relent after the pivotal elections are held in the US.