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Saudi Arabia Returns to Military Action in Yemen as Houthis Advance — AI-generated representative image: Military activity along Yemen's Red Sea coast amid renewed fighting between Saudi-backed forces and Houthis.

Editorial Team

Renewed fighting around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait ends years of calm and pressures global energy markets

A major escalation in Yemen has drawn Saudi Arabia back into direct military confrontation with the Iran-backed Houthis, ending years of relative calm as tensions rise across the Middle East. Much of the fighting has unfolded along Yemen's Red Sea coast and around the strategically important Bab el-Mandeb Strait, following significant Houthi territorial gains and a Saudi-backed counteroffensive.

The renewed conflict carries direct security and economic implications far beyond Yemen's borders. The fighting threatens a vital maritime chokepoint for global oil shipments at a time when the US-Israeli war on Iran has already disrupted routes through the Strait of Hormuz, pushing crude prices above $100 a barrel and deepening a long-running humanitarian crisis inside Yemen.

Major Escalation and Offensive

Fighting resumed in July when Yemeni government forces struck the runway at Sanaa airport to prevent an Iranian plane carrying a Houthi delegation from landing. The delegation was returning from the funeral of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the opening US-Israeli strikes on Iran at the end of February. The Houthis blamed Saudi Arabia for the airport strike and declared the de-escalation over.

The conflict escalated further in September, when the Houthis made their largest territorial gains in years. The group took Mocha and key positions along the Red Sea coast and around Bab el-Mandeb, and claimed to have effectively encircled Taiz after cutting a vital supply route to the southern port city of Aden.

The Saudi-led coalition said on Monday that 100 fighter jets were taking part in Operation Dawn of Yemen, providing air cover for government forces, and claimed to have destroyed 324 "high-value" Houthi targets. The Houthis have responded with missile and drone attacks on Saudi cities, airports, and military facilities.

Background of the Conflict

The Houthis, formally known as Ansar Allah, are a Zaydi Shia armed and political movement that emerged in northern Yemen in the 1990s in opposition to the central government and Saudi and US influence. Backed by Iran and part of the Tehran-aligned "Axis of Resistance," the group now controls much of northern and western Yemen and has developed an arsenal of ballistic and cruise missiles and drones.

In 2014, the Houthis seized Sanaa and forced the internationally recognized government from the capital. Saudi Arabia intervened the following year at the head of a military coalition seeking to restore the government and counter Iran's influence. Years of fighting failed to dislodge the Houthis, and a UN-brokered truce in 2022 sharply reduced hostilities, with limited fighting for several years despite the truce formally expiring after six months.

International Involvement and Energy Impact

Iranian advisers helped the Houthis plan and carry out their September offensive along the Red Sea coast, according to AP, which reported Iranian personnel were involved at multiple levels of the operation. While the US has not resumed direct strikes against the Houthis, American and regional officials reportedly said Washington is providing Riyadh with intelligence, target identification, and operational planning.

Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Türkiye activated the collective-defense provisions of their Makkah Alliance for Defense for the first time on Monday. The pact, sometimes dubbed the "Muslim NATO," was signed in August and commits all three members to respond if any one comes under attack. The UK has deployed an RAF Voyager tanker for air-to-air refueling, while France announced the deployment of troops, radars, and air-defense systems to protect Saudi energy infrastructure around Yanbu.

The East-West pipeline, shut after September drone attacks Riyadh blamed on Iraqi militias, has resumed operations with flows reportedly reaching 5.8 million barrels per day. Oil prices climbed again on Wednesday, with Brent crude trading above $101 a barrel and US benchmark West Texas Intermediate around $90. Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser warned the world's supply cushion was "scarily thin," citing nearly 3 billion barrels of regional supply lost since the war with Iran began.

What Lies Ahead

Yemen's government has set a goal of restoring its authority across the country, including retaking the Houthi-held capital, Sanaa. Fighting remains intense, with the Houthis launching missiles and drones at Aden International Airport on Wednesday as clashes continued elsewhere.

The conflict is worsening Yemen's humanitarian crisis. Some 184,000 people had been displaced by the latest fighting as of October 4, according to the International Organization for Migration, while the WHO reported 838 people killed and more than 3,600 injured since August. Diplomatic efforts continue, with the UN urging support for a political settlement and Russia expressing readiness to help mediate if requested.