Fighting in Yemen has intensified between the internationally recognised government and the Iran-backed Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah. Government forces are advancing toward the Bab al-Mandeb strait, a major Red Sea shipping chokepoint, while the Houthis retain control of Sanaa and parts of northwestern Yemen.
The latest escalation follows a relative lull after a 2022 ceasefire ended years of fighting that began when the Houthis seized control of Sanaa in 2014. The group launched a naval blockade affecting Saudi-linked shipping in July, then captured Mocha and additional territory along the western coast in September, including Mayyun Island in the strait. On October 4, Yemeni government leader Rashad al-Alimi announced an offensive to restore state authority.
Battles are now taking place around the Red Sea cities of Mocha and Dubhab, as well as Taiz. Both sides claim control of the shipping lanes. The fighting has killed at least 46 civilians and injured more than 130 since August, with many children among the casualties, while more than 200,000 people have been displaced since September, the United Nations said.
The violence has also reached Saudi Arabia. Saudi aviation authorities said Houthi strikes on Riyadh’s international airport killed three Saudi citizens, including a pilot, and wounded others, prompting several airlines to suspend flights. Coalition forces heavily bombarded Sanaa, with several injuries reported, including to a child. Saudi coalition officials said 136 military targets in Houthi-held areas had been destroyed, while the Houthis accused Saudi Arabia of striking public infrastructure and telecommunications facilities.
UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg told the Security Council that Yemen had effectively slipped back into “full-scale war” and called for urgent mediation. The United States condemned the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s government and demanded that Iran end its support for the group. The renewed fighting and the struggle over Bab al-Mandeb indicate that Yemen’s internal conflict is again closely tied to wider regional tensions.