The Houthis have intensified their involvement in the Yemen conflict in recent weeks by changing their tactics and have begun rapid advances along the Red Sea coasts. This group, which controls large parts of Yemen, has succeeded in capturing a strategic port city and several islands, gaining control of the Bab al-Mandab Strait. This strait is one of the vital routes for energy transport and global trade.
Consequences of the New War in Yemen
The new war in Yemen has not only reignited the civil conflict but has also escalated the long-standing clashes between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia. In recent days, the Houthis have expanded their offensive beyond the Red Sea coasts, attacking two provinces in eastern Yemen, where the country’s largest oil and gas fields are located. If the Houthis manage to capture these areas, it will be their biggest territorial gain in over a decade.
Read more: Disagreements Among Saudi Leaders on Tensions with Yemen
Humanitarian Crisis and Global Impacts
These clashes have left over 100,000 people homeless in Yemen and forced thousands more to flee towards Djibouti. Prior to this escalation, Yemen was experiencing one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, with nearly half of the country’s population – about 22 million people – in need of humanitarian assistance.
The conflict between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia is also impacting global energy supply and prices. The Houthis have attacked oil facilities and other infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, a response to Saudi airstrikes on Houthi-controlled areas. The UN-mediated ceasefire agreement in 2022, although generally stable, has recently been disrupted by Saudi airstrikes on Yemen's main airport in Sanaa, which is under Houthi control.
On July 20, the Houthis announced that they would impose a blockade on Saudi ships passing through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which would only be lifted when Saudi Arabia ends its blockade on Houthi-controlled areas.
Read more: Trump: I am deciding on major actions regarding Iran · Congratulations from the Secretary-General of the Palestinian National Defense Association to Abdulmalik al-Houthi
