Yemen's displaced long for loved ones, stability as Houthis advance

Yemeni Houthi rebels faced forced redeployment along the west coast after enduring substantial casualties from strikes conducted by pro-government forces, according to a security source. The Houthis acknowledged receiving numerous air strikes on Saturday and Sunday in Al Bayda, Al Jawf, Hajjah, Lahij, Saada and Taiz. Led by Saudi Arabia, the coalition intervened in Yemen following the Houthi takeover of Sanaa in 2014.

Despite not confirming the attacks, Saudi Arabia has been repeatedly hit by the group recently, notably in Khamis Mushait, home to the King Khalid airbase and a significant oil pipeline. The security source suggested the Houthis are minimizing their visible presence to evade air strikes, as the coastal region is an open desert. This redeployment inside recently seized territory reduces their access to the strategically important Bab Al Mandeb, restricting their control.

Mohammed Al Basha, from the US-based Basha Report, confidently stated that Houthi forces no longer maintain effective control over the Bab Al Mandeb and have withdrawn most forces from the area. Government forces, while not fully securing the territory, have effectively denied access to the rebels through sustained close air support.

The attacks on Houthi positions south of Hodeidah, near Bab Al Mandeb, took place within a targeted military zone, as revealed by government forces on Saturday. A video from Yemen's military purportedly shows warplanes targeting Houthis in Dhubab and Mokha, areas seized by the rebels last week. The Armed Forces' spokesman advised civilians to avoid Taiz-Mokha and Mokha-Dhubab roads due to ongoing military operations.

Since escalations began, displacement in Yemen has exceeded 85,000, with over 2,000 individuals crossing into Djibouti to escape the fighting. In Taiz, 9,280 households, or approximately 56,000 people, have been displaced. The surge in fighting during a major US-Iran tit-for-tat attack wave on Gulf shipping could benefit Iran, reducing supplies through another critical transit corridor and potentially driving up oil prices.

The Houthis also seized Perim and Zuqar islands, vital for maritime security, placing them at the center of the rebel offensive and the broader US-Iran conflict.