Geneva – SAM for Rights and Liberties said it is following with concern reports of a large-scale attack targeting the commercial Port of Mocha on Yemen’s western coast with a number of missiles and drones, amid preliminary information indicating that the attack was carried out by the Houthi group.

According to preliminary information reported by journalist Fares Al-Humairi, the attack took place on 9 August 2026 while employees and workers were present inside the port, raising serious concerns for the safety of civilians and the possibility of casualties and material damage. Information regarding the extent of the losses and the nature of the targets struck in the attack remains under verification.

Tawfiq Al-Humaidi, President of SAM for Rights and Liberties, said: “Targeting a commercial port with missiles and drones while civilian employees and workers are present constitutes an extremely dangerous escalation and demonstrates an unacceptable disregard for civilian lives and safety. SAM strongly condemns this attack and stresses that the continued use of weapons with destructive capabilities in areas containing civilian facilities and civilian workers exacerbates the suffering of the population and puts their lives and livelihoods at risk.”

Al-Humaidi added: “The Houthi group must immediately cease attacks that endanger civilians and civilian objects and strictly comply with the rules of international humanitarian law. Endangering civilian lives cannot be treated as an incidental consequence that may simply be disregarded. Any attack that fails to comply with the principles of distinction, proportionality, and the required precautions warrants a serious and independent investigation, as well as accountability for those responsible.”

Al-Humaidi further stressed that “civilians and civilian facilities are not lawful targets, and the recurrence of attacks that threaten their lives calls for a more robust international response to ensure respect for the rules of war, put an end to violations, and hold perpetrators accountable.”

SAM condemns any attacks targeting civilians or civilian objects and stresses that all parties to the conflict are obligated at all times to respect the rules of international humanitarian law, particularly the principles of distinction and proportionality and the obligation to take the necessary precautions to protect civilians and civilian objects from the effects of military operations.

The organization calls for ensuring the safety of workers and civilians in and around the port, independently verifying the nature of the attack and the extent of the resulting damage, and holding accountable those responsible for any potential violations of international humanitarian law.

SAM affirms that it continues to monitor the incident, conduct an in-depth verification of its circumstances, and gather information concerning casualties, material damage, and the nature of the affected targets. The organization will publish any additional findings once its monitoring and verification processes have been completed.