Yemen War Escalates: 194 Dead in Two Weeks as Houthis Push for Red Sea Foothold

The war in Yemen is heating up again. Over the past two weeks, at least 194 people have been killed and 880 wounded across five fronts — Taiz, the western coast, al-Jawf, Marib and Dhalea — according to aid agencies cited by Al Jazeera. The Iran-backed Houthi group (Ansar Allah) is pressing hard on the coastal district of al-Makha (Mocha), roughly 60 kilometres from the Bab al-Mandeb strait, aiming to secure a permanent foothold on the Red Sea. That matters far beyond Yemen: Bab al-Mandeb is a chokepoint for global shipping, including oil tankers and container vessels headed to European ports.

For European readers following the war in Ukraine, this escalation is a reminder that the world’s other major conflicts are not frozen. The Red Sea route is critical for energy supplies and trade; any sustained disruption there could tighten global supply chains and push up fuel prices, compounding the economic strain of Russia’s war in Ukraine.

What is happening on the ground?

Government forces — backed by Saudi Arabia — are trying to expand their control in Taiz and hold on to the oil-producing region of Marib in the north. At the same time, they have launched a counteroffensive on the western coast after Houthi attacks on four Saudi Arabian cities that injured 73 people and drew a pledge of retaliation from Riyadh (see Al Jazeera video report).

According to Yazeed al-Jeddawy, research manager at the Sanaa Center for Strategic Studies, the Houthis are trying to seize commanding heights and cut supply routes between the coastal Mocha district and Taiz. “The hills and mountainous areas of Taiz and the western coast are key targets,” he told Al Jazeera. The immediate contest is over the roads connecting Taiz to al-Makha, and whoever controls those roads can choke the other side’s logistics (Al Jazeera analysis).

Fighting is also raging in al-Jawf governorate, which borders Saudi Arabia, and in Dhalea, a province that connects the Houthi-controlled north to the south held by the internationally recognised government. Each front has strategic weight: a Houthi breakthrough on the western coast would give them direct access to the Red Sea, while a government push in Taiz could cut Houthi supply lines to the south.

Why this matters now

This is not a new war, but it is a dangerous intensification of a conflict that has been simmering since a UN-brokered truce collapsed in 2022. The Houthi attacks on Saudi cities — including Riyadh and Jeddah — crossed a line that Riyadh had said would trigger a military response. Saudi-backed forces have since stepped up airstrikes and ground operations on the western coast, as shown in footage released by the Saudi-led coalition (Al Jazeera newsfeed).

The Houthis, for their part, are likely betting that they can seize territory while the government’s attention is split between multiple fronts. The group has used drones and missiles extensively in the past month, particularly against al-Makha, causing “massive damage” according to local sources.

What comes next?

Fears are rising of a return to full-scale war. The UN special envoy for Yemen has called for an immediate ceasefire, but neither side appears ready to step back. For Europe, the key risk is that the fighting spills into the Red Sea — either through direct Houthi attacks on shipping or through a Saudi blockade that disrupts traffic. Either scenario would add another layer of uncertainty to an already volatile global economy.

The situation remains fluid. What is clear is that the Yemen war, far from being a forgotten conflict, is once again demanding attention — and it carries consequences that reach well beyond the Arabian Peninsula.