Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces have made significant gains in their fight against Iran-aligned Houthi fighters, retaking control of key positions around the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The government forces advanced along Yemen's Red Sea coast with heavy Saudi air support, reaching the outskirts of the coastal city of Mocha. According to government sources, the city has fallen under government control. This development comes after the Houthis seized parts of the area last month, triggering concerns over disruptions to international shipping and energy markets.
The government forces captured key positions in Dhubab district, including an airstrip near the mouth of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a major maritime route connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. The recapture of these coastal areas could make it more difficult for the Houthis to disrupt shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. However, the Houthis, who have controlled much of Yemen's most populated areas, including the capital Sanaa, since 2014, have rejected the government's claims as baseless.
The conflict has intensified around Taiz, Yemen's third-largest city, where Houthi forces have made advances along a mountain road and reportedly tightened their grip around government-held positions. Government military sources said Houthi fighters had gained sections of the road, potentially leaving government forces in Taiz under siege. The renewed fighting is threatening global energy supplies, coming as Gulf exports have already been disrupted by Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
The humanitarian situation in Yemen has worsened, with the UN migration agency reporting that 184,000 people have been displaced since fighting resumed following the collapse of a ceasefire that had largely held since 2022. The Houthi-run health ministry said two people were killed and seven others wounded in strikes on Sanhan and Sa'wan districts in Sanaa province. Yemen's President Rashad al-Alimi vowed to fight "until the country is liberated from the grip of the terrorist militia".
Saudi Arabia has pledged to provide air cover for the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and Yemeni government forces, attacking hundreds of targets. The latest escalation comes as Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan agreed at an emergency meeting in Riyadh to rapidly deploy military forces and capabilities in Saudi Arabia under their Mecca defence pact.
The Houthis could still launch drone attacks against vessels from positions farther inland and along the coast, despite the recapture of the coastal areas. The group has controlled much of Yemen's most populated areas since 2014, and their rejection of the government's claims as baseless has raised concerns over a prolonged conflict.
The situation in Yemen remains volatile, with concerns over disruptions to international shipping and energy markets. The conflict has worsened humanitarian conditions, and the international community is watching closely as the situation continues to unfold.
Key points
- The Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces have retaken control of key positions around the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
- The conflict has intensified around Taiz, Yemen's third-largest city, and has worsened humanitarian conditions across Yemen.
- The recapture of the coastal areas could make it more difficult for the Houthis to disrupt shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
