Iran-backed Houthi forces have advanced to within 80 kilometers of Aden – the main stronghold and temporary capital of Yemen’s internationally recognized government. Four military sources told Reuters.
This is the Houthis’ closest advance to Aden since the first months of the war in 2015, when the fighters briefly entered the city before being pushed back.
Fighting on the road to Aden
Fighting took place at a military camp at the entrance to the Tur al-Baha district – one of the main approaches to Aden. The camp is located about 50 kilometers from the provincial capital Lahij and 80 kilometers from Aden.
According to the military sources, the Houthis launched an attack on government positions in the Al-Maqatira area three days earlier and subsequently took control of the entire area. Government forces withdrew toward Tur al-Baha.
The advance threatens the main road between Aden and the besieged city of Taiz – a key transport link for southwestern Yemen. The mountainous area above the Bab el-Mandeb Strait could allow the Houthis to outflank government forces, the military sources said.
Taiz remains under siege
The Houthis cut off the main road south to Aden in early October. Taiz, Yemen’s third-largest city, is under a siege that has displaced more than 100,000 people and led to shortages of food, fuel and medicine.
The route through Al-Maqatira had been the last remaining link between the government-controlled territories and Taiz.
Houthi representative Hamid Rizq posted a video that he claimed showed the group’s fighters entering Souk al-Rabuh. Reuters was unable to immediately verify the authenticity of the footage.
Escalation with regional consequences
The advance is part of a broader escalation that includes intensified Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. The Riyadh-led coalition supporting the Yemeni government responded with airstrikes on Houthi positions.
The expansion of the fighting ended the 2022 truce brokered by the United Nations. Attacks on Aden have also intensified in recent weeks – including attacks on the airport and the presidential palace.
Yemen’s information minister did not immediately respond to a request for comment, Reuters reported.
Sources: internazionale.it, news.bg