Commodities
Saudi Airstrikes Hit Mokha Airport as Houthi Advance Rattles Red Sea Shipping
Saudi airstrikes hit Mokha airport in Yemen on Friday, reported a Houthi broadcaster, following the Iran-backed group's entry into the key Red Sea port city.
The advance brings the Houthis closer to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital shipping route and alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, raising fresh concerns over commercial shipping and oil supplies in Yemen.
The Houthi entry into Mokha on Thursday marked their biggest territorial gain in years against Saudi-backed Yemeni rivals. The move brought them within 80 kilometres of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, where they have stepped up attacks on Saudi shipping since declaring a blockade in July.