Houthi rebels have captured Mokha, a port city on Yemen’s Red Sea coast. The victory has sparked celebration in Iran’s political circles and media. Many are framing the Houthi win as a victory for Iran over the United States.
Most Houthi rebels are Zaidi Shia Muslims. They have been fighting since seizing the capital, Sanaa, when civil war broke out against the Western and Saudi-backed government in 2014.
Iran has celebrated the Houthis’ takeover of Yemen’s Red Sea coast as a “divine victory.” The Houthis’ recent rapid advance has established their control over an extensive stretch of Yemen’s Red Sea coastline and the important area around Bab al-Mandeb.
Ebrahim Azizi, head of Iran’s parliamentary National Security Commission, praised the Houthi advance, saying Yemen had taken a stand against regional domination. He also held up Yemen’s position as an example of defending sovereignty.
Mohammad Mokhber, an adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, also congratulated the Houthis on their “tremendous victory.” He said Iran’s strength and resistance at the Strait of Hormuz had put the United States and its allies into a strategic and military standstill.
The Houthi advance has strengthened their position along critical maritime corridors such as the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb. Bab al-Mandeb connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and is considered one of the most important routes for international trade and energy transport.