Yemen’s Saudi-backed government troops successfully repelled overnight offensives by the Iran-supported Houthi rebels targeting a critical supply corridor leading to the southern port city of Aden, where the internationally recognised government is headquartered. This was confirmed on Thursday by government officials.
The contested mountain pass, known as Hejat al-Abd, is a vital artery for government-aligned forces, especially after the rapid Houthi advances earlier this month linked to the broader Iran conflict. This route is essential not only for military logistics but also for the delivery of goods to Taiz, Yemen’s third-largest city, and its surrounding southern and western rural districts. It remains the sole passage for residents traveling abroad, as commercial flights are suspended in Houthi-controlled territories.
Meanwhile, the Houthis continue to exert pressure on government forces, aiming to solidify territorial gains made nearly two weeks ago during their offensive along Yemen’s western coastline. This campaign brought them to the shores of the strategically significant Bab el-Mandeb strait on the Red Sea.
In a significant development, capturing sections of the Taiz-Aden road would enable the Houthis to tighten their control over Taiz and deliver a further setback to the government, which has struggled to regain momentum since losing the western coastal areas.
The recent clashes represent a marked intensification of Yemen’s civil war, which had been relatively dormant following a 2022 truce. The Houthis initially seized the capital, Sanaa, in 2014, triggering a Saudi-led military intervention in 2015 to support the internationally recognised government.
Fighting has reignited along several longstanding frontlines, including around Taiz, as the Houthis push southward along the Red Sea coast. They have captured the port of Mocha and extended their control over the remaining Red Sea coastline and islands, reaching the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at the Red Sea’s entrance.
Bab el-Mandeb is one of the world’s most crucial maritime chokepoints, linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and serving as a vital trade route between Asia and Europe via the Suez Canal. In June, approximately 7 percent of global oil shipments passed through this strait, Kpler data.
Notably, the Houthi advance threatens an important alternative export route used by Saudi Arabia when shipments through the Strait of Hormuz face disruptions.
The United Nations reports that the recent fighting has resulted in over 700 deaths and thousands of injuries. Additionally, nearly 130,000 Yemenis have been internally displaced, while more than 3,000 have fled by boat across the Red Sea to Africa.
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