Yemen has entered its most intense and deadly fighting in years, with more than 500 people, mostly combatants, killed since clashes erupted across the country. The escalation has ended four years of relative calm following a UN-brokered truce in 2022 and raised fears of a return to the full-scale conflict seen before the ceasefire.
The latest escalation began on September 3, when the Iran-backed Houthi movement launched a ground offensive toward the Red Sea port city of al-Makha (Mocha), after weeks of bombardment. The advance threatened positions held by the government-aligned National Resistance Forces, led by Presidential Leadership Council member Tareq Saleh.
The offensive marked a major change after years in which Yemen’s front lines had remained largely frozen. The Houthis appeared to be seeking control of areas near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a strategic passage linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The position has gained importance as the Red Sea has become a key alternative route for Saudi oil exports after shipping through the Strait of Hormuz was sharply reduced by the US-Israel war with Iran.
Government forces halted the initial Houthi advance and launched a counter-offensive along the western coast. They later opened new fronts in al-Jawf and al-Bayda provinces, while the Yemeni air force returned to combat after years of limited involvement.
The fighting has also spread across Yemen’s borders. On September 8, the Houthis launched a major wave of drone and missile attacks on southern Saudi Arabia. Riyadh called the attacks a “dangerous escalation” and said it would take all necessary measures to prevent further strikes. Saudi allies have also signalled support, with Pakistan warning that its defence pact with Saudi Arabia and Turkey could be activated if one of the three countries is attacked.
The latest fighting follows months of worsening tensions and the collapse of efforts to revive the peace process. A planned prisoner exchange failed in July, while disputes over access to Sanaa and Saudi control of Yemeni airspace further increased tensions.
After an Iranian plane landed in Sanaa without Saudi authorisation, strikes on the airport triggered Houthi retaliation and a declared “blockade for blockade” campaign against Saudi vessels in the Red Sea. By August, both sides were mobilising forces and carrying out drone and missile attacks.
Iran remains the Houthis’ main regional backer, although the extent of Tehran’s influence over the group’s decisions is disputed. Iranian and Houthi officials deny that Tehran directs the movement’s military decisions, while US and Yemeni officials have accused Iran of helping drive the escalation.
The renewed fighting could develop into a prolonged campaign. Yemeni government officials have described the conflict as an “open war” aimed ultimately at restoring state control over Houthi-held territory, including Sanaa. The Houthis control much of northern and western Yemen, and government forces have not held the capital since the group seized it in 2014. The expansion of fighting toward the Red Sea and the growing confrontation with Saudi Arabia have further raised the risk of a wider regional escalation.
