Houthis

Al Jazeera reports that Yemen’s government-aligned army has launched hundreds of airstrikes and ground operations against Houthi-held territory, killing roughly 700 fighters. The Yemeni army frames the operation as a key step toward retaking critical western areas and breaking Houthi control over Red Sea shipping lanes. The campaign unfolds against the backdrop of Saudi Arabia planning a major offensive and the United States opting out, marking a new phase in which Yemen’s civil war is shifting from Houthi-led offense to multi-axis counter-attack. The international community has voiced strong concerns over Red Sea shipping safety and Yemen’s humanitarian situation.

Axios reports Saudi Arabia is planning a major military offensive against Yemen’s Houthis aimed at retaking key territory and breaking the group’s stranglehold on Red Sea shipping lanes. Multiple outlets report Saudi plans to commit roughly 100,000 troops to the operation, while the US has for now opted not to join. The decision highlights Washington’s complex balancing between Middle East proxy conflicts and global maritime security.

Pakistan and Turkiye Move Closer to Saudi Camp as Red Sea Conflict Reshapes Alliances Core Summary Pakistan and Turkiye are reportedly moving closer to joining Saudi Arabia’s military campaign against Yemen’s Houthi movement, with the two countries holding talks on intelligence sharing, logistics, and possible joint deployments. If either country formally intervenes, the long-running Red Sea and Gulf conflict will deepen, with significant knock-on effects for global shipping, energy markets, and the internal coordination of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. ...

The Guardian reported that US President Trump called off a major airstrike campaign against the Houthis at the last minute, after which the Houthis moved to seize strategically significant terrain across multiple parts of Yemen. The rapid shift has prompted widespread international concern about Middle Eastern security, the coherence of US Middle East policy, and the safety of Red Sea shipping.

The Guardian reported on September 12 that Yemen’s Houthis have rapidly advanced along the Red Sea coast, forcing roughly 50,000 Yemeni civilians to flee their homes. The displaced are moving toward safer inland provinces and the borders of southern neighbors, in the largest displacement wave since the group seized the port of Mokha and other strategic coastal sites.

Multiple international media outlets report that Yemen’s Houthi forces have recently captured the strategically important port city of Mokha on the Red Sea coast, further expanding their control along the vital Red Sea shipping corridor. The move marks another direct threat from the Houthis to the international shipping system beyond Yemen’s internal conflict, with global maritime costs rising in tandem with escalating Middle East geopolitical tensions.

Driven by a new round of Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia’s civilian energy infrastructure, international crude oil prices climbed rapidly on September 8, approaching the psychologically important $100-per-barrel threshold. Both Brent and WTI hit one-year highs, lifting risk aversion across global energy markets and pressuring Western equities and emerging-market currencies.

Saudi Arabia accused Yemen’s Houthis on September 8 of striking multiple civilian cities and energy facilities inside Saudi territory, wounding 73 people and igniting fires at several energy sites. The Saudi government vowed to respond, marking a renewed escalation in regional tensions and raising international concerns about Middle East energy security and conflict spillover.