Yemeni government forces repel overnight Houthi assault on critical Hejat al-Abd supply route

Yemen's Saudi-backed government forces thwarted an overnight Houthi assault on the crucial Hejat al-Abd supply route, according to sources on Thursday. The mountain pass, known for its steep and winding nature, serves as a lifeline for government forces battling against the Houthis, who have been advancing rapidly since the beginning of the month.

The route is vital for transporting goods to Taiz, Yemen's third-largest city, as well as the southern and western rural areas, and is the only avenue for residents to travel abroad due to the lack of commercial flights from Houthi-controlled regions.

The Houthi group's persistent pressure on government forces aims to capitalize on their recent gains, which include advancing to the shores of the Red Sea's Bab el-Mandeb waterway. Controlling this strategic area could potentially tighten the Houthis' grip around Taiz, further burdening the government that has been struggling to regain momentum since losing the western coast.

This escalation in Yemen's civil war, which had previously been halted following a 2022 truce, marks a significant turning point. The Houthis, who seized the capital Sanaa in 2014 and were subsequently supported by a Saudi-led military intervention the following year, have recently seized control of several old front lines, including Taiz. The group extended their influence to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial maritime chokepoint connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and playing a pivotal role in global trade.

According to the United Nations, the latest fighting has resulted in the deaths of over 700 people and left thousands wounded. Additionally, nearly 130,000 Yemenis have been internally displaced, while more than 3,000 have fled by boat across the Red Sea to neighboring African nations.