Yemen conflict flares as Houthis tighten Red Sea grip and Saudi-backed forces clash
The Iran-aligned Houthis have expanded their control along Yemen's Red Sea coast, prompting renewed fighting with Saudi-backed government forces.
In early July, Yemen's internationally recognised government accused the Houthis of striking an airport in Sanaa, and the group launched a broader offensive in late August, alleging violations of the 2022 ceasefire. The Saudi-backed coalition says the Houthis have targeted civilian sites in Saudi Arabia, such as the East-West oil pipeline and the port of Yanbu, contributing to a rise in global oil prices. Ground battles continue in southern Marib and the western provinces of Taiz, Lahj, al-Jawf and al-Bayda.
The Houthis have also tightened their hold over the Red Sea coastline, including the strategic Bab al-Mandeb strait. The United Nations estimates that nearly half of Yemen's population needs urgent aid, while the International Organization for Migration reports over 112,000 people displaced and thousands fleeing to Djibouti. The conflict's escalation threatens vital shipping lanes and deepens an already severe humanitarian emergency.
Why it matters
Escalation threatens global shipping routes and worsens a humanitarian crisis affecting millions.
How this story developed
- Sep 11 Renewed Yemen fighting forces over 46,000 people from their homes
- 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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