Houthi forces target highland strongholds as US aborts planned air strikes
Houthi fighters are advancing toward the Kahboub Mountains in Yemen after a reported last-minute US cancellation of air strikes, while Saudi-backed forces remain on the defensive.
Houthi militants are pushing to capture the Kahboub Mountains in Taiz and Lahij, a move that would cut the Red Sea coast off from the remaining Saudi-backed government zones. According to five Yemeni military sources, fighting now centers on the Al-Wazi'iyah district and the Ras al-Ara area near the Bab el-Mandeb strait. A report indicated that the United States had readied air strikes for Sunday, but President Donald Trump called them off at the last moment while bombs were being loaded onto aircraft.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had repeatedly asked for US military support, yet no direct commitment was made during his phone call with President Rashid al-Alimi. Saudi Arabia reported its first strike since the conflict intensified, with explosions heard near the airport. The United Nations estimates roughly 700 deaths and thousands of injuries, with about 130,000 people displaced within Yemen and over 3,000 fleeing by sea.
Why it matters
Control of Yemen's highlands could reshape the balance of power and affect regional security and humanitarian conditions.
How this story developed
- Sep 10 Yemen's multi-front war intensifies as Houthis and government forces vie for strategic strongholds
- Sep 13 Houthis allege Saudi forces carried out more than 50 attacks on their targets in a single day.
- Sep 14 In a post on X, the European Commission President condemned the Houthi assault on Saudi and American military sites, calling it an act of aggression. She stressed that the EU will continue cooperating with Gulf partners to ensure secure, free shipping through the Hormuz Strait. The statement also highlighted the broader goal of Middle-East stability, which the EU views as a shared interest. The Houthi group claimed to have launched dozens of ballistic missiles and drones, citing retaliation for Saudi air strikes in Yemen. Saudi officials responded by ordering air patrols in several southern regions.
- Sep 14 The displacement figure has risen to nearly 86,000.
- Sep 15 Houthi forces reported seizing the Greater and Lesser Hanish islands.
- Sep 15 Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met President Abdel Fattah al‑Sisi in Cairo to discuss Red Sea navigation and retaliation against the Houthis.
- Sep 16 Saudi civil defense issued emergency shelter warnings for Jeddah, Mecca and Taif.
- Sep 16 Saudi Arabia said it intercepted a drone aimed at Mecca and accused Iran-backed Houthi rebels of the plot, which the rebels denied.
- Sep 16 Saudi coalition announced a drone it said was Houthi‑linked was heading toward Mecca and triggered a brief security alert.
- Sep 16 Houthis seized coastal towns and islands at the mouth of the Bab el-Mandeb strait.
- Sep 18 Since the earlier report of 86,000 displaced, the UN now says over 112,000 have been forced from their homes.
- Sep 19 Washington met Houthi envoys in Oman and secured assurances that American vessels would not be targeted.
- Sep 19 The Saudi Directorate of Civil Defence said the danger has passed in Riyadh and al‑Kharj and urged residents to continue following its instructions and avoid gathering or filming.
- Sep 19 The Houthis announced new missile and drone strikes on Riyadh and Yanbu.
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