National Resistance Front forces, a coalition of anti-Houthi forces led by former Houthi ally and senior member of the Yemeni government, Tareq Saleh, have obtained intelligence and maps revealing an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) plan for a phased advance and takeover of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, Iran International reported, citing a Wednesday Yemeni military media announcement.
The information was found on the laptop of a Houthi commander captured by government forces in western Yemen, according to the military, which added that the individual was responsible for Houthi operations.
“The Republic Network,” affiliated with the NRF, also published images of military maps that the outlet said show four stages of an advance toward Bab al-Mandab and the city of Hodeidah, as well as parts of the Houthis’ military plans and movements, according to Iran International.
The Iranian-backed Houthi terror group took control of Mocha, a Yemeni port city on the Red Sea and less than 50 miles from the Bab al-Mandab Strait, three anti-Houthi Yemeni government officials told Reuters on Thursday.
Arab media outlets first reported that Yemeni government forces had withdrawn from the city on Thursday morning as the Houthis advanced, and online social media posts displayed photos and videos of Houthi fighters within the city.
NRF commander leads military contingent into Mocha
According to the NRF, a force commander led a military contingent into Mocha on Thursday morning.
“Force reorganization and consolidation [of Mocha’s defenses] are underway in coordination with the anti-Houthi coalition,” NRF’s official media outlet reported.
The NRF forces clashed with Houthi naval forces, the outlet added.
