The Saudi Arabia-backed Yemeni government said Monday its forces had taken control of Mokha "following fierce battles against Iranian-backed Houthi terrorist militia" and captured key locations on the coast around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The port city, situated about 75 kilometres north of the strait, was seized by the Houthis in early September in what was seen as a major blow to Saudi Arabia, raising the possibility of the group exerting control over the critical Red Sea oil route.
Yemen government forces also announced a "strategic offensive" on the capital Sanaa, which the Houthis have held since 2014. The claims could not be independently verified, and the Houthis have reportedly denied that Mokha had fallen.
In a separate development, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan agreed on Monday to activate "deterrence measures" and rapidly deploy forces to support the oil-rich kingdom and counter Houthi attacks in Yemen. The agreement followed an emergency meeting of defence ministers in Riyadh. The three countries said they share "a firm commitment to collective defence" and hold a unified position in confronting threats.
Two airports in Saudi Arabia were also targeted in attacks on Monday evening, injuring three people.
The recapture of Mokha comes against the backdrop of Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz, another strategically vital oil route on the opposite side of the Arabian Peninsula, which has already roiled energy markets and sent shock waves through the global economy.