Yemen: Conflict has intensified in Yemen, with forces loyal to the internationally recognised government reporting advances in western Taiz after clashes with Houthi fighters. The Iran-aligned Houthis have also claimed missile and drone attacks against targets in Saudi Arabia, including facilities near King Khalid airbase. Saudi authorities did not immediately confirm the claims, and the reported scale and impact could not be independently verified. The renewed violence raises concerns over the fragile calm that has prevailed since a UN-brokered truce halted large-scale fighting in 2022.
Yemen Forces Advance in Taiz as Houthis Seize Red Sea Islands and Attack Saudi Arabia
Fighting has escalated across Yemen, with government forces making advances in Taiz while Houthi forces say they have attacked Saudi Arabia and are increasing their presence around strategic Red Sea islands.
Yemen forces advance in western Taiz after repelling a Houthi assault, while the Iran-aligned Houthi movement says it has launched missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia.
The latest fighting is another escalation in Yemen’s more than decade-long civil war, threatening a United Nations-brokered truce that halted large-scale violence in 2022.
Government forces push forward across western Taiz
Forces loyal to Yemen’s internationally recognised government have recaptured positions and made headway in the southwest of Taiz province after a surge in fighting with Houthi fighters.
Fighting has escalated across Yemen, with government forces making advances in Taiz while Houthi forces say they have attacked Saudi Arabia and are increasing their presence around strategic Red Sea islands.
Yemen forces advance in western Taiz after repelling a Houthi assault, while the Iran-aligned Houthi movement says it has launched missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia.
The latest fighting is another escalation in Yemen’s more than decade-long civil war, threatening a United Nations-brokered truce that halted large-scale violence in 2022.
Taiz: Government forces make gains in the west
Forces loyal to Yemen’s internationally recognised government have recaptured positions and made headway in the southwest of Taiz province after a surge in fighting with Houthi fighters.
Houthi attacks target Saudi Arabia amid wider escalation
The Houthis said in a statement on Monday they launched dozens of ballistic missiles and drones at targets in Saudi Arabia.
The group said its attacks targeted military facilities and infrastructure at King Khalid airbase in Khamis Mushait, including aircraft hangars, radar installations, runways and ammunition depots.
In a statement, the Houthis said the attacks were in retaliation for a Saudi offensive which they said had included more than 300 air strikes across Yemen.
Saudi Arabia did not immediately comment on the Houthi claims. The reported scale and impact of the attacks could not be independently verified.
Saudi civil defence authorities had issued warnings for Abha and the surrounding Khamis Mushait region on Sunday, but the warnings were lifted shortly after.
The latest flare-up on the border comes after other Houthi strikes in southern Saudi Arabia, including an attack on oil facilities that reportedly wounded dozens of people.
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Red Sea islands deepen strategic concerns
The fighting has spilt beyond Yemen’s borders, with Houthi forces declaring a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia and striking vessels in the Red Sea.
The Houthis last week seized parts of Yemen’s Red Sea coast in a move that bolstered their grip on the Bab al-Mandeb strait, intensifying fighting.
The Bab al-Mandeb is a vital maritime strait, usually carrying some 12 per cent of global trade, including 11 per cent of the world’s maritime oil.
The waterway also handles around eight per cent of global liquefied natural gas, so disruptions could be significant for international energy markets and commercial shipping.
Yemeni government and Houthi officials with knowledge of the developments told The Associated Press the Houthis had captured more strategic islands.
Houthi officials said their forces landed on Greater Hanish and Lesser Hanish, about 86 nautical miles (160 kilometres) north of Bab al-Mandeb.
Oil infrastructure and displacement add pressure
Regional officials told the Associated Press that repairs on a key Saudi oil pipeline hit in an attack last week could take three to five weeks.
That means the pipeline could be left largely idle at a time of increased regional conflict, raising questions about Saudi Arabia’s ability to move crude.
The attacks sent global oil prices up more than two per cent on concerns about supplies from the world's largest oil exporter.
The disruption could potentially provide Iran with additional leverage amid its war with the United States, after the Strait of Hormuz was effectively blocked.
The Strait of Hormuz has been blocked by Iranian forces since the United States and Israel launched their war against Iran in February.
Meanwhile, the International Organisation for Migration said nearly 86,000 people had been displaced by fighting in Yemen during recent weeks.
The organisation added that more than 2,000 people had crossed into neighbouring countries.
