Yemen reshuffles cabinet as Houthis advance towards Aden

Yemen's internationally recognized government has announced a cabinet reshuffle amid intensifying clashes with the Iran-backed Houthis, who are advancing towards the temporary capital of Aden. Salem Al Awlaki has been appointed as the new minister of information, replacing Moammar Eryani, who will now serve as an ambassador at the Foreign Ministry.

Judge Akram Naseeb Ahmed Al Amiri has been designated as the minister of civil service and insurance, while Ahmed Al Awlaki has been named minister of local administration. This reshuffle follows reports that Houthi forces have moved within 80 kilometers of Aden, marking the closest they have come to the city since the war began in 2015.

The latest offensive is threatening strategic locations along the main road between Aden and Taiz, a city currently under siege. The fighting has also reignited concerns about the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, with UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher warning of a further deterioration in conditions. Nearly 300,000 people have been displaced since August, and access restrictions and shortages are worsening the situation in Taiz, a city of approximately one million residents.

The UN is working to secure full humanitarian access, but aid partners have only reached around 260,000 displaced people so far. The UN has also expressed concern over the detention of 70 UN staff members and dozens of other humanitarian workers in Houthi custody. The reshuffle comes after a broader offensive by the Houthis in September, during which they seized territory near the Bab Al Mandeb strait, a crucial international shipping route and vital passage for Saudi oil exports.

This development adds a new dimension to the already volatile regional conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran.