Facing sustained pressure, southern troops abandoned positions at Dhubab Airport and the surrounding Bab el-Mandeb area to bolster front lines near Aden. This retreat effectively grants Houthi rebels enhanced leverage over vital commodity traffic passing through the Red Sea toward the Suez Canal. The shift marks another setback for government forces, who had launched an offensive in October after rebels initially pushed southward in September to capture the coast. Furthermore, the intensified combat has fractured the United Nations-brokered truce established in 2022.
Key points
Houthi control over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait threatens to restrict primary maritime trade…: Houthi control over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait threatens to restrict primary maritime trade corridors used by Gulf oil producers.
Recent clashes between the warring sides have shattered the nationwide truce brokered by…: Recent clashes between the warring sides have shattered the nationwide truce brokered by the United Nations back in 2022.
The territorial expansion by Houthi rebels adds an increasingly volatile front to the wid…: The territorial expansion by Houthi rebels adds an increasingly volatile front to the wider regional conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
Saudi backed Yemeni forces said on Sunday they were withdrawing from an area overlooking the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, leaving Iran-aligned Houthi rebels in control of the territory.
The southern Yemeni forces said they were redeploying towards Aden, where the internationally recognised government is based, Reuters reported.
"The Southern Armed Forces announce the implementation of a redeployment operation for its forces from Dhubab Airport and the Bab el-Mandeb area, west of Taiz Governorate," the southern forces said in a statement.
"This step is taken based on the priority of securing the capital, Aden, and the neighbouring governorates, as well as strengthening the front lines and addressing existing threats."
The move comes as the Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa and the country's most populous areas, step up pressure on southern territories still held by government forces.
The withdrawal could give the Houthis greater leverage over one of the world's most important maritime chokepoints, potentially increasing pressure on global shipping at a time when Iran continues to disrupt traffic through the Strait of Hormuz on the…
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