Houthi Forces Advance Within 80 Kilometers of Aden as Yemen Conflict Escalates
Yemeni Houthi forces have advanced to within 80 kilometers of Aden, threatening the provisional capital and shattering the 2022 ceasefire. The offensive has sparked heavy clashes, displaced thousands, and escalated cross-border attacks with Saudi Arabia.
Yemeni Houthi forces have advanced to within 80 kilometers of the port city of Aden, the provisional capital of the internationally recognized government, marking their closest approach to the city since the early months of the 2015 conflict, military sources reported on Monday.
According to the sources, the Houthis launched an offensive on Friday against government positions in a mountainous region overlooking the crucial highway between Taiz and Aden, seizing complete control of the area. Government forces were forced to retreat to a neighboring district through which a key access route to Aden passes. Clashes erupted on Monday at a military base guarding the entrance to the district.
The rapid advance threatens the vital corridor connecting Aden to Taiz, the country's third-largest city, which has been under siege since early October when the Houthis severed its main highway. The blockade has displaced over 100,000 people and triggered severe shortages of food, fuel, and medical supplies in the city.
The offensive is part of a broader campaign launched by the Houthis in September, during which they advanced along the Red Sea coast and captured territory near the Bab el-Mandeb strait, a vital shipping lane for Saudi oil exports to Asia. Military sources note that the latest gains allow the Houthis to outflank government forces in the mountain range overlooking the strait.
Escalation Involving Saudi Arabia
Simultaneously, the Houthis have intensified their attacks on Saudi Arabia, prompting retaliatory airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition. On Monday afternoon, coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki announced on X the interception and destruction of two drones over the Riyadh area. Earlier in the day, air raid sirens sounded in several southern and western Saudi cities, including Abha and Taif, following the launch of a ballistic missile by the Houthis.
The escalation has shattered the UN-brokered ceasefire that had largely held since 2022. According to United Nations figures, the resumption of hostilities has claimed the lives of more than 1,600 people and displaced over 300,000 residents across the region.
