Houthis launch six ballistic missiles at Yemen’s Al Makkah port amid fierce clashes

SANAA, Aug 14: Yemen’s Houthi group launched six ballistic missiles at the government-controlled port of Al-Makkha, also known as Mocha, on Friday, with two small vessels on the coast reportedly targeted, according to military sources.

The attack came as fighting intensified on the Al-Barah front west of Taiz, where government forces reportedly thwarted a large-scale Houthi assault. Fierce clashes involved artillery, mortars and drones, with military sources claiming dozens of Houthi fighters were killed or wounded and several vehicles, cannons and military positions destroyed or set ablaze.

The latest developments follow reports of casualties from a Houthi missile strike on the Mocha port area earlier Friday. The exact number of casualties remained unclear as authorities assessed the damage.

Military media on Yemen’s western coast also reported that the Houthis had launched 36 ballistic missiles and 42 drones, of which 11 were reportedly intercepted by forces aligned with the internationally recognized government.

The Houthis have not immediately issued a statement confirming the latest attacks. The escalation comes amid increased Houthi attacks on government-held infrastructure and maritime interests along Yemen’s Red Sea coast and the Bab al-Mandab Strait.