Houthis advance on key Yemeni province
The conflict in West Asia is simmering again, with fighting intensifying in Yemen as Houthi rebels advance towards Saudi-backed government-held areas, including the strategic oil- and gas-rich province of Marib and the city of Taiz, while Saudi Arabia faces growing pressure to respond. According to the outlet, Houthi rebels were advancing towards government strongholds in Marib and Taiz, raising concerns over a renewed offensive.
Marib has remained one of the most strategically important government-held areas in Yemen since the conflict escalated in 2015, with major army bases, oil and gas fields, a key power station and more than two million displaced people. Amid reports that the Houthis are massing forces around Marib, Yemen’s government forces have said they are prepared to defend the province against any renewed offensive.
Houthi Advance and Government Preparation
Brigadier Yahya Al-Hatemi, director of the Yemeni army’s military media, told reporters that government forces had gained significant battlefield experience during more than a decade of fighting and were ready to repel any attempt by the Houthis to advance on Marib. “The armed forces have generally become more organised, powerful and effective,” Al-Hatemi said.
Al-Hatemi added that over the past decade, they have gained combat experience that enabled them to overcome adversity, master military tactics and identify the enemy’s strengths and weaknesses. Yemeni media reported over the weekend that the Houthis had sent large numbers of fighters and military equipment to areas of Marib province under their control, raising fears of preparations for another offensive.
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The reported buildup followed major Houthi gains along Yemen’s western coast, including the seizure of the Red Sea port city of Mokha and advances towards the Bab Al-Mandab area. Al-Hatemi said the Yemeni army was aware that Marib could become the Houthis’ next major target. “We know that the new pressure will be directed at Marib,” he said.
Saudi Arabia’s Response and Regional Implications
The developments have also put Saudi Arabia in a difficult position. According to the report, the Houthis’ swift advance in Yemen and attacks on Saudi Arabia have left the Gulf kingdom with few options to respond, with each carrying high costs. The key message emanating from Riyadh is that Saudi Arabia does not want an all-out war, experts said, but the Houthis’ emboldened behaviour may nonetheless drag the Gulf state into a wider conflict.
Meanwhile, the wider confrontation involving Iran and the United States is continuing to affect commercial shipping through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that as of Sunday (local time), 101 commercial vessels had been redirected by the US Navy in the strait. During his two-day visit to Ireland on September 12, US President Donald Trump spoke about Iran’s role, the Houthis and the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump stated that he believed Tehran was probably responsible and noted that the Houthis had contacted Washington to signal that they did not want a confrontation with the United States. “I think they are probably. They are on the balls of their feet right now, but I think they are. They’ve been in charge of that for a while. We’ve had discussions. The Houthis called us, and they don’t want to fight with us,” Trump said.
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As the situation continues to unfold, the US military’s control over the Strait of Hormuz and its naval blockade remain important in preventing a sharper rise in oil prices. Trump highlighted the scale of the US naval operation, saying American forces were intercepting a significant number of vessels each day, with 25 boats taken out on average, most of them at night.
According to Mohammed Al-Basha, an expert on Yemen and Washington, DC-based risk adviser, all signs now point to a large-scale Saudi retaliation, and that likelihood is increasing by the day.
US Naval Blockade and Oil Prices
Preliminary ship-tracking data has shown that vessel transits through the Strait of Hormuz had fallen to seven from 12 the previous day, with the level also below the 10-day average of 14. The US naval blockade has been intercepting a significant number of vessels each day, with President Trump stating that American forces take out, on average, 25 boats a day, most of them at night. The latest developments have raised concerns that further Houthi advances or attacks could trigger a broader escalation across West Asia, with the conflict in Yemen increasingly intersecting with the wider confrontation involving Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United States.
The situation remains volatile, with the Houthis’ emboldened behavior potentially dragging Saudi Arabia into a wider conflict. The key message emanating from Riyadh is that Saudi Arabia does not want an all-out war, but experts believe that the likelihood of a large-scale Saudi retaliation is increasing by the day. The conflict in Yemen is likely to continue, with significant implications for the region and the global economy, as the US naval blockade and the Houthis’ advance towards government strongholds in Marib and Taiz continue to raise tensions. On September 11, Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis reached the strategic island of Perim Island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, according to four Yemeni government sources.
