In Yemen, over 120,000 displaced as Houthis gain ground

On Monday, the Houthis continued their advance in southwestern Yemen, aiming to capture high ground between the Red Sea and areas still held by Riyadh-backed forces. This escalation has displaced over 120,000 people and resulted in nearly 700 deaths, according to UN data reported by Reuters.

Fighting is particularly concentrated around the Kahboub mountains, situated between the provinces of Taiz and Lahj. Securing this area would allow the Houthis to consolidate positions gained in recent weeks around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and open new routes toward the south held by the internationally recognized government.

Saudi Arabia has intensified airstrikes against Houthi positions in the mountainous regions, but has so far failed to halt the movement’s advance. Government forces have retreated in several sectors along the western coast following the loss of Mokha, Perim Island, and other positions overlooking the Red Sea.

In Washington, direct intervention remains uncertain. The New York Times reported that Donald Trump had instructed the Pentagon to prepare strikes against the Houthis before reversing that decision on Sunday, even as munitions were already loaded onto aircraft. Reuters stated it could not independently verify this information, and the U.S. Central Command did not respond to a request for comment.

The humanitarian pressure continues to worsen. The International Organization for Migration had recorded 104,796 displaced persons since the escalation began as of September 15, including 63,624 in Taiz province and 26,364 in Lahj province. More recent figures cited by Reuters now exceed 120,000 displaced individuals within the country.

The Associated Press reports that the Houthis claim they do not intend to target American ships as long as Washington adheres to the ceasefire established with them in 2025. However, the movement is maintaining pressure on Saudi interests: on Saturday, a ballistic missile launched toward Riyadh was intercepted by the Saudi coalition. The Houthis also assert increased control over approaches to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

This advance directly impacts the region’s energy routes. Bab el-Mandeb is one of the main maritime passages between the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, while Saudi Arabia has used this route to bypass disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. The retreat of Riyadh-backed forces now reduces this maneuverability.

Satellite data cited by Reuters indicates that Saudi exports passing through Hormuz have reached approximately 2.9 million barrels per day in recent days, compared to about 700,000 in August, while crude shipments at the Yanbu port on the Red Sea have been halted since September 16.