Mokha Port Director: Houthis Systematically Targeting Port to Disrupt Trade

The director general of Mokha Port, Dr. Abdulmalik Al-Sharabi, stated that the Houthi militia has conducted repeated and organized attacks targeting the port, its facilities, and commercial vessels within its vicinity. He emphasized that the objective of this escalation is to disrupt the port's operations and shut it down, thereby threatening a vital lifeline for commodity supplies to millions of Yemenis.

Al-Sharabi's remarks were made during a press conference held by the Red Sea Ports Corporation in Mokha city. He presented a detailed account of human and material losses attributed to a series of attacks that have struck the port and the western coast during August. The escalation, according to Al-Sharabi, began on August 4th with an attack on an Indian vessel carrying civilian goods en route from Djibouti to Mokha. The attack, carried out by a booby-trapped boat, resulted in the vessel's sinking and the loss of its cargo, although its 14-member crew were rescued by naval forces and coast guards.

Further attempts by the Houthis to attack an oil tanker docked in the port basin using booby-trapped boats were thwarted by naval forces and coast guards. On August 8th, the Houthi militia intensified its direct assaults on Mokha Port, targeting its facilities during working hours when employees and stevedores were present. Al-Sharabi reported that one wave of shelling involved approximately 25 strikes from missiles and drones, hitting port administration and employee housing, a workshop hangar for excavators and logistical equipment, and sections of the old quay.

The shelling resulted in the martyrdom of seven individuals, including three civilians and four facility guards, with ten others sustaining injuries. Subsequent attacks targeted equipment and facilities associated with the port's development and deepening project, including excavators, logistical equipment, workshops, and port security and coast guard facilities. Approximately 38% of the planned rehabilitation work for deepening the port basin, navigation channel, and turning basin had been completed before the supporting equipment and facilities were hit.

Al-Sharabi estimated the material losses to the port, its facilities, equipment, vessels, and commercial goods to be in the "tens of billions." He also noted that a hangar being prepared for customs, as part of the port's readiness to receive container ships, was struck. The port administration had anticipated the arrival of the first container ships in the coming weeks after completing arrangements with international shipping agencies. He considers the targeting of facilities and equipment to be a threat to these plans and an obstruction to efforts to revitalize the port.

In the most recent attacks, the port quay reportedly sustained five direct missile strikes from the Houthi militias, coinciding with an attempted drone attack that was neutralized. The shelling also hit wooden vessels and commercial goods belonging to local merchants, which had undergone inspection procedures. Vessels identified as "Al-Khair" and "Sad Marib" were among those targeted. According to the information presented, this attack resulted in the martyrdom of three civilians working on the wooden vessels, including two sailors aboard the "Al-Khair," with others injured.

Al-Sharabi also addressed the incident involving the vessel "Tihama" in Bab al-Mandab, stating it had departed Mokha Port empty, seeking a safer location. The vessel was hit by three missiles, causing casualties among its Pakistani and Indonesian crew, with one sailor still missing. He confirmed the vessel was not carrying any cargo when attacked. He asserted that the Red Sea Ports Corporation possesses photographic evidence and data related to the targeted locations, vessels, goods, and casualties, which will be made available to the media for documentation of the damages.

The director general stated that Mokha Port, Mokha city, and the directorates of the western coast have endured over 90 attacks by ballistic missiles and drones in recent days, in addition to dozens of attempts using booby-trapped boats. This escalation occurs while the Mokha Port administration continues rehabilitation and development works, aiming to enhance its operational capacity and accommodate more commercial vessels. The ongoing attacks raise significant concerns regarding the safety of navigation, trade movement, and the flow of goods into Yemeni markets.