Fighting in Yemen Intensifies, and Houthis Launch More Attacks on Saudi Arabia

Conflict in Yemen escalated on Sunday as government forces clashed with Iran-backed Houthi rebels along the Red Sea, while the Houthis launched attacks on neighboring Saudi Arabia. The Yemeni government pledged to deploy additional forces to the Red Sea coast, acknowledging a "painful" defeat when Houthi forces captured Mokha and an island on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital shipping route.

Escalation could impact global oil supplies due to Houthi attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure and Red Sea shipping. Over 80,000 people have been displaced since September as the country nears another civil war. Residents in Hodeida province, near the Red Sea, recounted the horrific scene of burning vehicles and dead civilians. Saudi authorities warned citizens to take shelter from Houthi attacks.

The Houthis claimed to have targeted Saudi military bases using drones and missiles, though evidence was not provided. Saudi Arabia did not disclose new attacks against the Houthis. The National Resistance, allied with the government, reported over 500 government fighters killed and more than 1,000 Houthis killed in recent weeks.

The Houthis denied targeting commercial shipping. Yemen's government and Saudi Arabia have battled the rebels for 12 years, with a ceasefire in 2022 halting fighting. The Yemeni military conducted airstrikes on Houthi positions in Mokha and Dhubab, while the Houthis reported Saudi-backed forces shelling in Taiz province. The rebels are now just 20 miles from a U.S. military base in Djibouti, raising concerns for regional security.

The U.N. migration agency reported over 82,000 displaced people in Yemen since September, with the camp in Aden struggling to accommodate thousands of refugees in dire conditions.