A primary route into the city of Taiz in south‑western Yemen has been reopened after Iran‑aligned Houthi forces advanced along the country’s western Red Sea coast, local government and military sources said on Sunday.
The rebels seized the strategic port of Mokha earlier this week, a move that local officials say gives the Houthis control of Yemen’s entire Red Sea shoreline. Mokha lies about 90 kilometres west of Taiz city. Government troops continue to hold parts of Taiz province, including sections of the provincial capital, though clashes remain ongoing.
Renewed clashes and cross‑border claims
Military sources reported renewed government attacks on Houthi positions around Taiz. The Houthi‑owned broadcaster Al‑Masirah said Saudi forces carried out strikes to support pro‑government fighters. Separately, the Houthi‑run Saba news agency claimed the rebels had struck weapons depots and command centres inside Saudi Arabia; these claims have not been independently verified.
Humanitarian impact
The UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) says the number of internally displaced people in the area has surged to nearly 86,000 in recent days. More than 82,000 people have fled fighting since the beginning of September, and over 2,000 are reported to have crossed the Red Sea to seek refuge in Djibouti.
Earlier UN assessments from 2021 estimated more than 150,000 deaths directly from the conflict and an additional roughly 220,000 deaths attributable to indirect causes, including hunger and disease. Around 22 million people in Yemen — a majority of the population — currently depend on humanitarian assistance.
Regional implications
Analysts warn that Houthi control of the western coastline could enable the group to intensify attacks and impose blockades on shipping amid heightened tensions with Saudi Arabia. A Houthi spokesman stated that maritime traffic would be considered safe except for Saudi vessels. The developments come amid a wider regional confrontation involving Iran and its proxies that has deepened Yemen’s long‑running civil war.
Background
The Houthis have been fighting Yemen’s Saudi‑backed government for more than a decade. A 2022 truce largely froze large‑scale operations but did not create a clear path to ending the war. The recent flare‑up marks a renewed and dangerous phase in an already catastrophic humanitarian crisis.
