Yemen's Mokha port suspends operations after Houthi attacks

Yemen’s Mokha port has suspended operations after being hit by more than 25 missiles in recent attacks by the Houthi militant group, the port’s director said on Saturday.

The attacks killed seven people and caused an estimated $16 million in losses, the director said in a news conference, according to Reuters.

On Friday, the Houthis launched six ballistic missiles at Mokha, a strategic port city on the Red Sea, Yemen’s internationally recognized government said.

Houthi Armed Forces spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said the attacks targeted “Saudi military concentrations and weapons, as well as military boats belonging to its proxies and mercenaries” in Mokha.

Some background: In recent weeks, the Houthi rebels have launched a spate of attacks on US allies and shipping in the region.

One of the strongest Iran-backed militias in the Middle East, the Houthis entered the war in March, a month after Israel and the US attacked Iran, by firing missiles towards Israel.

This month, the group has traded fire with Yemen’s internationally recognized government and struck Saudi Arabia after a four-year de facto ceasefire with the kingdom.

The escalation comes at a time of shaky maritime security in both the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea.

-CNN