Yemen’s Houthi movement seized the Red Sea port city of Mocha on Thursday, forcing government-aligned forces to withdraw and pulling the Iran-backed group closer to full control of the Bab al-Mandeb strait. The escalation threatens a vital Red Sea shipping chokepoint and risks drawing Saudi Arabia deeper into Yemen’s renewed conflict. Key points and original sources are listed below.

• Yemen’s Houthi movement seized the Red Sea port city of Mocha on Thursday, forcing government-aligned forces to withdraw and pulling the Iran-backed group closer to full control of the Bab al-Mandeb strait. Four Yemeni government military sources told Reuters...S1

• The escalation threatens a vital Red Sea shipping chokepoint and risks drawing Saudi Arabia deeper into Yemen’s renewed conflict. worldpoliticsreview.com/">World Politics Review.S2

• The Houthi takeover of Mokha comes amid intensified fighting that has sparked fears of a return to civil war. The Red Sea has served as a key alternative to the Strait of Hormuz amid the US war with Iran.S3

• Houthi militants have taken control of Yemen's Red Sea port city of Mocha and reportedly advanced down the coast to strategic islands.S4