Yemen’s Houthi rebels have intensified their military campaign along the country’s western coast, launching a new series of missile and drone attacks against the Red Sea port city of al-Makha (Mocha). This latest escalation, which occurred on Sunday evening, follows an initial barrage that struck the area less than 24 hours earlier.
The initial Sunday strikes resulted in at least 11 deaths, including eight military personnel and three civilians, with an additional 32 people reported wounded. Beyond the human toll, the attacks caused significant destruction to port infrastructure, commercial facilities, and essential food supplies, according to reports from The Associated Press.
During the renewed assault, Yemeni government forces reported that they successfully intercepted six incoming drones, while two ballistic missiles fell into the sea. Additionally, government forces claimed to have destroyed an unmanned explosive boat that was approaching the commercial port. In response to the ongoing shelling, the National Resistance Forces—aligned with the internationally recognized government—urged local residents to remain indoors.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree stated that the operation utilized a large number of ballistic missiles and drones, asserting that the strikes targeted Saudi troop concentrations and weapon depots. Hizam al-Assad, a member of the Houthi political council, claimed that the fires and smoke observed at the port were the result of large quantities of military equipment stored at the site.
The Houthis described the offensive as a direct response to an alleged buildup of Saudi military forces, including the reinforcement of allied troops with equipment in Taiz province and along the western coast. The violence extended beyond al-Makha, impacting the al-Khokha district south of Hodeidah.
In a related development, Al-Jumhuriya television reported that the government-appointed governor of Hodeidah, al-Hassan Taher, survived an assassination attempt on Sunday. The report stated that a Houthi ballistic missile struck the governor’s residence in the district. The station is affiliated with the National Resistance Forces, which are led by Presidential Leadership Council member Tareq Saleh.
