ADEN, Yemen (HornPost) Yemen’s internationally recognized government has launched a major military operation aimed at retaking territory controlled by the Iran-backed Houthi movement, opening a new and potentially dangerous phase in the country’s long-running civil war.
The offensive, announced Sunday by Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi, comes as Houthi forces advance around the strategic southwestern city of Taiz and seek to consolidate their control over territory along Yemen’s Red Sea coast and near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints.
Al-Alimi said government forces would continue their campaign until areas held by the Houthis are recovered. The announcement followed weeks of renewed fighting that has significantly changed the military balance in western and southwestern Yemen.
Battle for Taiz intensifies
The latest fighting is particularly intense around Taiz, Yemen’s third-largest city, which has remained divided between government and Houthi forces for years.
Houthi forces have recently advanced toward strategic positions surrounding the city and have attempted to disrupt the main road linking Taiz with Aden, the temporary seat of Yemen’s internationally recognized government.
A Houthi breakthrough on the Taiz-Aden route could effectively tighten the siege of Taiz and further isolate government forces and civilians inside the city. Reuters reported that government forces have carried out airstrikes against Houthi movements, personnel, vehicles and military equipment in Taiz province.
Yemeni military officials have reported large numbers of strikes and casualties among Houthi forces. However, the reported casualty figures have not been independently verified.
Bab el-Mandeb becomes central to the conflict
The military escalation is taking place against the backdrop of a major shift along Yemen’s Red Sea coastline.
The Houthis have recently seized strategically important territory close to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, according to Reuters and AP reporting. The movement’s expanded presence around the southern entrance to the Red Sea has raised concerns about international shipping and the security of one of the principal maritime routes between Asia and Europe.
Bab el-Mandeb connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is a critical passage for vessels travelling between the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal.
Control or disruption of the strait could therefore have consequences well beyond Yemen, affecting shipping costs, insurance premiums, energy markets and supply chains between Asia, Africa and Europe.
Commercial tanker reports explosions near Bab el-Mandeb
The maritime security situation also deteriorated over the weekend.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said a commercial tanker reported explosions close to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, about 60 nautical miles south of Mokha, on Yemen’s western coast.
The crew was reported safe and authorities were investigating the incident. The Joint Maritime Information Center, overseen by the U.S. Navy, has assessed the threat in the area as substantial.
The incident highlights the growing risk to commercial vessels as fighting moves closer to the maritime corridor.
Houthis claim attacks on Saudi Arabia
At the same time, the Houthis claimed they had launched ballistic missiles and drones against Saudi Aramco facilities in Riyadh and the Khurais area.
Reuters reported that the claims immediately affected oil markets, with Brent crude rising to more than $103 a barrel amid concerns that the escalation could threaten Saudi energy infrastructure and regional oil supplies. Reuters
The Houthi claims regarding the attacks and their reported impact have not been independently verified.
Saudi Arabia has meanwhile indicated that it reserves the right to take measures to deter the Houthis and has continued supporting Yemen’s internationally recognized government.
Saudi Arabia prepares for a wider campaign
The latest government offensive follows reports that Saudi Arabia has been preparing a broader military campaign against the Houthis.
According to Reuters, Riyadh has been considering several options, including a coastal operation aimed at pushing Houthi forces away from the Red Sea shipping route and a wider offensive on several fronts. Yemeni forces would take the lead on the ground, with Saudi Arabia providing air and other military support.
The developments raise the possibility of a major escalation after years in which the conflict had remained relatively contained under a de facto truce.
Humanitarian situation deteriorates
The renewed fighting is also worsening Yemen’s already severe humanitarian crisis.
The World Food Program has warned that three out of four families in parts of Yemen are going hungry, while the latest fighting has displaced tens of thousands of people and disrupted supply routes serving millions.
Taiz is particularly vulnerable because renewed clashes and road closures could restrict access to food, medicine and humanitarian assistance.
The humanitarian consequences could become significantly more severe if fighting expands toward densely populated areas or cuts additional routes between western and southern Yemen.
Why the Red Sea matters to the Horn of Africa
The escalation has implications far beyond Yemen.
The Bab el-Mandeb Strait lies directly opposite the Horn of Africa, with Djibouti, Eritrea and Somaliland positioned along the wider maritime corridor connecting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
Any prolonged disruption around the strait could increase the strategic importance of ports and alternative maritime routes in the Horn of Africa, including Berbera, Djibouti and other regional ports.
For Somaliland in particular, instability around Bab el-Mandeb could further highlight Berbera’s geographical position on the Gulf of Aden and its potential role in regional logistics and maritime security.
The crisis could also increase pressure on international shipping companies to reassess routes, insurance costs and port calls across the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
A new phase in Yemen’s war
The announcement of a major government offensive marks one of the most significant escalations in Yemen since the conflict entered a period of relative calm.
The immediate battlefield focus is likely to remain on Taiz, the Red Sea coast and the approaches to Bab el-Mandeb.
But the consequences could extend to Saudi Arabia, international shipping, global energy markets and the wider Horn of Africa.
If government and Saudi-backed forces succeed in pushing the Houthis away from the southern Red Sea coast, the balance of power in Yemen could change significantly.
If the Houthis maintain their new positions, however, they could gain unprecedented leverage over one of the world’s most strategically important maritime chokepoints.
For now, the battle for Yemen is increasingly becoming a battle over the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb itself.
Prepared by:
HornPost staff
