Houthis report six civilians killed in Saudi strikes in Mocha

The Yemeni state agency SABA, which is linked to the Houthi rebels, reported that six civilians had been killed in Saudi airstrikes on the port city of Mocha. According to the report, the victims included two children and a woman, while eight other people were injured.

The casualty figures have not been independently confirmed so far. SABA said the attacks were carried out by the Saudi-led coalition and that a child and a woman were also among the injured.

Mocha has become an important flashpoint after the Houthis seized control of the city in early September and forced government forces to withdraw. Backed by Iran, they have expanded their presence near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a strategic corridor through which a significant portion of international maritime traffic passes.

Fighting escalated during September following the advance of Houthi forces in several areas of Yemen and a counteroffensive launched by Saudi-backed forces. As a result, tens of thousands of residents have been displaced, with many fleeing toward Aden in the south of the country.

The rise in tensions also follows Houthi attacks on targets in Saudi Arabia. On September 19, Saudi authorities said they had intercepted a ballistic missile launched toward Riyadh.

The exchange of attacks and counterattacks has heightened concerns about the security of strategic transport routes in the region.