Houthis Battle Saudi-Backed Forces for Key Yemen Mountains

An intense battle for strategic mountain heights in southwestern Yemen has escalated between Houthi rebels and Saudi-backed government troops, threatening to cut off coastal routes along the Red Sea. The clashes follow a reported last-minute cancellation of United States air strikes against the group, as civilian displacement and casualties continue to mount.

Clashes near strategic waterway

Houthi fighters are attempting to capture the Kahboub Mountains, located across Taiz and Lahj provinces. Securing these heights would grant the Iran-aligned group control over terrain overseeing the Bab al-Mandeb strait and Mayyun Island, potentially allowing them to isolate coastal areas from government-held southern territory. The assault follows the rebels’ recent takeover of Yemen’s Red Sea coast, including the strategic port of Mocha.

Yemeni military officials reported counter-operations against Houthi positions. Major-General Abdulaziz al-Majidi, chief of staff for government forces in Taiz, stated that soldiers and allied tribal fighters reclaimed several areas on the city’s outskirts. Government forces also claimed to have targeted Houthi supply lines in al-Bayda governorate and near the Bab al-Mandeb strait, alongside shooting down an uncrewed Houthi aerial vehicle in Taiz.

In response, Houthi officials alleged that Saudi Arabia conducted 157 air attacks across the provinces of Saada, Marib, al-Jawf, and Taiz on Monday. The Houthi-aligned Al Masirah network reported that an air strike in Mocha killed six civilians late Monday, including two children and a woman, following an earlier strike that killed one civilian.

Uncertainty over US intervention

The escalation on the ground coincides with reports of diplomatic pressure and aborted military action involving Washington. According to a report by The New York Times, US President Donald Trump authorized air strikes against Houthi targets on Sunday following requests from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, but called off the operation shortly before execution while weapons were being loaded on aircraft.

The reported reluctance comes despite repeated requests from Riyadh for direct American military support. Houthi forces had claimed responsibility for a strike targeting the Saudi capital of Riyadh on Saturday, marking their first such attack on the city since the latest escalation began.

In a televised address, Houthi leader Abdel-Malik al-Houthi cautioned Washington against deepening its involvement, stating that “whoever sympathises with the oppressor” would bear all moral and legal consequences. The rebel leader also urged Turkey and Pakistan, which maintain defense agreements with Saudi Arabia, to refrain from participating in the conflict.

Military analysts pointed to resource constraints and existing commitments as potential reasons for Washington’s hesitation. Jason Campbell, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, noted that American forces have already spent substantial amounts of high-end munitions and need to replenish interceptor stockpiles while avoiding further regional entanglement.

Mounting humanitarian emergency

The intensified fighting is severely exacerbating Yemen’s humanitarian situation. Figures from the World Health Organization indicate that at least 674 people have been killed and nearly 3,000 injured since August 6, including 164 deaths recorded during a six-day span in mid-September.

Mass displacement is spreading across eight governorates, including Aden, Hodeidah, and Taiz. Yemen’s Executive Unit for the Management of Displaced Persons Camps reported that more than 158,000 individuals—representing approximately 23,550 families—have fled their homes this month.

Aid organizations warn that fighting around key coastal infrastructure threatens vital supply lines. Carl Skau, acting executive director of the World Food Programme, stated that displaced families are arriving in overcrowded camps with no possessions. With Yemen relying on imports for 90 percent of its food supply, disruptions to ports and transport hubs directly intensify acute hunger, which already impacts over 18 million people—roughly half the country’s population.

Background

Yemen has been gripped by civil conflict since Houthi forces seized the capital, Sanaa, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in support of the internationally recognized government. The latest clashes take place amid heightened regional instability driven by conflict involving Israel, the United States, and Iran, complicating international mediation efforts led by United Nations Special Envoy Hans Grundberg.