Road to key Yemeni city reopened after Houthis advance along Red Sea
dpaCairo/Sana’aA main access road to the city of Taiz in south-western Yemen has been reopened following an advance by Iran-backed Houthi rebels along the country’s western coast,...
A crucial road leading to the city of Taiz in southwestern Yemen has been restored following a recent advance by Iran-backed Houthi rebels along Yemen's western coastline, according to local government and military sources. The rebels now control the entirety of Yemen's Red Sea coastline, having captured the crucial port city of Mocha from government forces this week. Mocha is situated approximately 90 kilometers west of Taiz city, which remains under government control, albeit with ongoing conflict in the region.
Government forces have recently launched attacks on Houthi positions in the Taiz area, while pro-government forces in Saudi Arabia have reportedly bombed targets in support of Yemeni troops. Houthi-affiliated Al-Masirah television channel reported that the rebels targeted weapons depots and command centers in Saudi Arabia.
The ongoing conflict between Yemen's Saudi-backed government and the Iran-backed Houthis dates back over a decade, with a 2022 truce offering little hope for a resolution. The recent resurgence in fighting, exacerbated by the broader Iran-related war, has pushed Yemen into a deeper civil war, exacerbating the already dire humanitarian situation.
The UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that the number of internally displaced people surged to nearly 86,000 over recent days, with over 82,000 people fleeing fighting since early September. Additionally, more than 2,000 individuals crossed the Red Sea to Djibouti in search of safety.
As of 2021, UN estimates put the death toll in the conflict at over 150,000, while another 220,000 fatalities resulted from indirect consequences, such as hunger and disease. Currently, approximately 22 million Yemenis depend on humanitarian aid to survive. The Houthis' rapid advance along Yemen's western coast will allow the rebels to intensify attacks and disrupt shipping lanes, as announced by a Houthi spokesman, while asserting that shipping will remain safe, with the exception of Saudi vessels.
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