Yemen fighting intensifies as over 60 killed in fresh clashes near Red Sea gateway

More than 60 people, including civilians, were killed in fresh fighting between Yemen’s Saudi-backed government forces and Iran-aligned Houthi rebels on Saturday.

The latest clashes took place in southwestern Yemen as the Houthis and government forces battled for control of territory near a key route leading to the Red Sea. The violence came a day after one of the deadliest fighting in years, with 129 people reported killed on Friday.

The renewed fighting follows the collapse of a fragile ceasefire agreed in 2022. Tensions have since intensified, with the Houthis seeking to expand their control towards government-held areas and important coastal routes.

Government, Houthi forces suffer heavy losses

Three Yemeni military sources, cited by news agency AFP, said 26 government soldiers were killed during several hours of fighting on Saturday. Medical and military sources linked to the Houthis said 31 of their fighters were also killed, the report said.

Six civilians were killed when a missile struck a bus travelling from Taiz towards Aden, the seat of Yemen’s internationally recognised government. Seven others were wounded in the attack.

A Yemeni government official, cited in the report, blamed the Houthis for the strike.

The fighting has centred around Taiz, where the Houthis captured several positions a day earlier. The next few hours could prove decisive as government forces receive reinforcements from Aden.

The Houthi offensive is aimed at putting pressure on the government-held port city of Mokha, which has come under attack for weeks, and moving closer to areas around the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

Saudi Arabia carries out airstrikes

Saudi Arabia, which backs Yemen’s internationally recognised government, has also become directly involved in the latest escalation.

According to the report, three Saudi airstrikes targeted positions in Taiz that had recently been captured by the Houthis.

The latest fighting comes after a fragile truce between the two sides broke down in July. The collapse was followed by a series of attacks after the Houthis welcomed an Iranian aircraft in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa.

The renewed violence is now adding another layer to the wider conflict in West Asia, which has expanded following US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

Hormuz closure raises importance of Bab al-Mandab

The conflict in Yemen is unfolding as the prolonged closure of Iran’s Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping continues to disrupt regional and global trade.

Before the current Iran conflict, roughly 20 per cent of the world’s oil supply passed through the Strait of Hormuz, making it one of the most important energy routes globally. Its continued closure has hampered supply chains for fuel and other key products, increasing the importance of alternative maritime routes.

That has put renewed attention on the Bab al-Mandab Strait, another major chokepoint connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.

The Houthis have announced a maritime blockade targeting Saudi Arabia and have begun attacks on Saudi-linked shipping and territory, raising concerns that the latest escalation could further disrupt one of the world’s crucial trade corridors.