Houthi Missile Barrage on Yemen's Mokha Port Called 'Terrifying Night'
Mokha port director describes a 'terrifying night' as Houthi missiles hit the pier, destroying six wooden vessels and adding to an estimated $16 million in losses.
The director of Yemen's Mokha port has described a recent Houthi attack as a "terrifying night," detailing the destruction of six wooden vessels and significant damage to the vital Red Sea facility.
Abdul Malik Al-Sharabi, the port director, said the attack involved direct shelling of the pier with five missiles, along with an attempted drone strike that was neutralized. He said the wooden vessels belonged to traders from the western coast of Taiz directorate.
"Six wooden vessels are finished, destroyed," Al-Sharabi said, adding that goods on two other vessels that were loaded and ready to depart for northern areas were also lost.
The director noted that initial losses from three previous attacks on the port were estimated at around $16 million. He said the latest strike would add a large amount to that figure.
The attack, which occurred Friday evening, was the latest in an escalation by the Iranian-backed Houthis against government-held areas. Yemen's military said at least one security guard was killed and eight people wounded, with two marines missing.
Col. Majed al-Nazili, the military spokesman, described the assault as a "new terrorist aggression that targeted a vital civilian facility." The Houthis have been blamed for a series of attacks on Saudi Arabia and government-held territory, raising fears of a return to full-fledged conflict after a 2022 ceasefire.
Analysts suggest the Houthi escalation reflects Iran's efforts to increase pressure on the United States and its regional allies.