The Houthis took Moka after deceiving Yemeni troops with an AI-generated audio

In a serious event for international security, the Houthis from Yemen have captured the strategic coastal city of Moka, managing to expand their control over the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, classified as one of the most crucial trade routes on the planet. This hybrid warfare offensive grants the rebel faction backed by the Iranian regime direct control over the strategic access point to the Suez Canal, a critical point through which 10% of the world's oil passes.

The triggering factor of this military debacle lay in a sophisticated technological disinformation operation: the Houthis created an AI-generated audio cloning the voice of the high command of the Yemeni army, in which an official withdrawal of the troops was announced. Deceived by the digital manipulation, the soldiers believed the veracity of the false message and abandoned their defensive positions.

The capture of the city of Moka took place on Thursday, at the moment when the forces of the internationally recognized government were retreating. Official sources confirmed the incursion to Al Jazeera correspondent Yousef Mawry, while three sources from the Yemeni government confirmed the fall to Reuters. Although the Yemeni government attempted to respond by requesting reinforcements, the overwhelming military pressure exerted by Ansar Allah (the Houthis) ultimately captured the port and the entire city.

After consolidating their position, the Houthis began moving south towards Dhubab, according to journalist Yasser Hassan from Taiz. In light of the insurgent advance, the vice president of the Presidential Leadership Council instructed the western coastal units to regroup, while council member Tariq Saleh described the maneuver as a “tactical withdrawal” to reorganize the ranks.

The president of the Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad al-Alimi, emphasized that the events at the port of Moka and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait “are not purely a Yemeni matter”, but an international crisis that threatens global trade. Rashad al-Alimi called on the international community to intervene “to put an end to what the Houthis have done”, warning categorically that the Bab al-Mandeb Strait “cannot become another Strait of Hormuz” and that “Yemen cannot become another Iran”. Likewise, the Foreign Minister, Afrah al-Zouba, sent an urgent statement to the United Nations Security Council demanding a firm stance.

For his part, defense analyst Wolfgang Pusztai explained to Al Jazeera that the capture of Moka deals a “very significant blow to the government”, as it allows the Houthis to cut the route to Taiz and “control almost the entire coast of Yemen on the Red Sea” along with the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. Wolfgang Pusztai detailed the technical severity of the siege by comparing maritime geographies: while the Strait of Hormuz has a width of 34 kilometers (21 miles) at its narrowest point, the Bab al-Mandeb Strait spans only 29 km (18 miles).

According to the specialist: “This means they could control it just with artillery; they wouldn't even need to use missiles or drones to attack ships. This would undoubtedly be a major blow to maritime transport from Saudi Arabia and international shipping”.

Despite field commanders in Taiz claiming that counteroffensives are underway to retake Moka, Saudi foreign policy analyst Abdulaziz Alghashian described the insurgent incursion as “concerning; it's disappointing, but perhaps not very surprising”, attributing the collapse to “a disorganization of anti-Houthi forces” and anticipating retaliatory actions from Saudi Arabia.

The direct implication of the theocratic regime in Tehran is indisputable. The ambassador of Yemen in Qatar, Rajeh Badi, formally accused Iran of reactivating the conflict after a relative calm of 5 years to tighten its grip on the routes of the Red Sea, defining the Houthis as an Iranian execution arm alongside Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in Iraq. However, Wolfgang Pusztai noted that, while Iran exerts massive influence, the Houthis are simultaneously pursuing their own war agenda.

In response to the escalation, the Saba agency reported that Saudi forces carried out 40 airstrikes on the governorates of Taiz, Hodeida, al-Jawf, and Marib. Meanwhile, the Supreme Political Council (Houthi authority in San'a) claimed to have ceased hostilities on the coast after expelling government reinforcements.

The insurgent spokesman Mohammed Abdul Salam defined the action as a “national operation” of sovereignty and advocated for a “just and honorable peace”, asserting that navigation in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait remains “safe and uninterrupted”, although maintaining the prohibition of transit for vessels from Saudi Arabia.

The gravity of the situation forced an emergency session in the United Nations Security Council, requested by Bahrain and the United Kingdom, after Houthi offensives caused 73 civilians to be injured in Saudi Arabia. The UN special envoy, Hans Grundberg, warned that the region faces its greatest risk of widespread conflagration since the truce of 2022.

During the debate, the United States denounced that the Houthis operate as proxies for Iran and demanded strict enforcement of sanctions, while Russia condemned the Saudi bombings and questioned the stagnation of the political process. Both Saudi Arabia and Yemen asserted their right to self-defense, while Pakistan warned Iran that the pact of the Mecca Defense Alliance —a mutual assistance agreement signed last month with Saudi Arabia and Turkey— could enter an operational phase if aggressions on Saudi soil continue.