Houthi control of Mokha raises Red Sea shipping risks
In September 2026, two months after the group declared a complete naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, which relies on the Red Sea to access global oil markets, the Houthis seized control of Yemen’s strategic port city of Mokha and several islands near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait—expanding their control over Yemen’s Red Sea coastline. Now, the Saudi-backed Yemeni government has launched a major offensive against the Houthis, retaking critical areas around the strait. The conflict adds to risks around key chokepoints.
Could this raise U.S. fuel or grocery prices? There is no evidence of that yet. The reports establish a security risk, not a demonstrated U.S. price increase; rerouting, insurance and freight costs are possible transmission channels.