Yemen Erupts in Fierce Fighting as Houthis Launch Major Offensive Toward Mokha and Bab al-Mandab

Yemen Erupts in Fierce Fighting as Houthis Launch Major Offensive Toward Mokha and Bab al-Mandab Yemen has witnessed some of the heaviest fighting in years as Iran-backed Houthi forces launched a major offensive in the southwest, particularly across Taiz province, targeting government-held positions and seeking to advance toward the strategic port city of Mokha and surrounding areas near the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Houthi forces reportedly managed to cut a key road connecting Taiz with Mokha, intensifying pressure on government forces and threatening a strategically important corridor leading toward the Red Sea. In response, forces aligned with Yemen's internationally recognized government — backed by Saudi Arabia and its regional allies — opened a new front in northern Yemen in an effort to divert Houthi fighters away from the western battlefield Saudi-led coalition aircraft, alongside the Yemeni Air Force, reportedly carried out multiple airstrikes against Houthi positions, including weapons storage facilities, missile-launch sites and areas where fighters were reportedly concentrated. The renewed fighting has reportedly resulted in hundreds of casualties, including fighters from both sides and civilians. Thousands of families have also reportedly been forced to flee areas affected by the clashes, adding to Yemen's already severe humanitarian crisis. The escalation follows the collapse of the fragile ceasefire framework that had significantly reduced large-scale ground fighting since 2022, with tensions increasing after the truce broke down in July. The fighting around Mokha and Bab al-Mandab carries wider strategic implications. The strait is a critical maritime chokepoint connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is an important route for global commercial and energy shipments. The situation remains highly fluid and could change rapidly. Reported casualty figures, battlefield developments and claims from the opposing sides have not been independently verified at this time.