‘More than 120 killed as Yemen’s Houthis, government forces clash’, Pg12

Key Highlights:

• Over 120 people were killed in recent clashes between Yemen's Houthis and government forces near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
• The offensive, launched by the Iran-backed Houthis, involved ground assaults, rocket, and drone attacks.
• The fighting aims to gain control over the strategically vital Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a key entrance to the Red Sea.
• This escalation follows the Houthis upending a 2022 truce with the Saudi-backed Yemeni government.
• The Houthis have previously imposed a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia and attacked ships in the Red Sea since the Gaza war began in 2023.

Detailed Insights:

• The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is a narrow waterway connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, crucial for global maritime trade.
• The Yemen Civil War, ongoing since 2014, involves the Houthis (also known as Ansar Allah) who control the capital Sanaa, and the internationally recognized Yemeni government backed by a Saudi-led coalition.
• The 2022 truce, brokered by the United Nations, significantly reduced violence but was not formally extended beyond October 2022, though a de facto calm largely persisted.
• Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea are a response to the Gaza war, aiming to pressure Israel and its allies, leading to major disruptions in global shipping routes.
• The Red Sea is one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, with a significant portion of global oil and gas shipments passing through it and the Suez Canal.
• Control over elevated positions near the Red Sea and the city of Taiz could allow the Houthis to target vessels more effectively.
• The article highlights Yemen's increasing entanglement in broader regional conflicts, often referred to as the "West Asia war," due to the Houthis' alignment with Iran's "Axis of Resistance."

Key Concepts Involved:

• Bab el-Mandeb Strait: A critical maritime chokepoint between Yemen and Djibouti, connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.
• Houthi Movement (Ansar Allah): A Zaydi Shia Islamist political and military organization in Yemen, backed by Iran.
• Yemen Civil War: An ongoing conflict primarily between the Houthi movement and the internationally recognized Yemeni government.
• Red Sea: A vital sea lane for global trade, connecting the Mediterranean Sea via the Suez Canal to the Indian Ocean.