Yemeni Govt Forces Drive Out Houthis From Bab El-Mandeb, Pg2

Key Highlights:

• Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces advanced to retake the coast around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait up to the city of Mocha on Monday.
• The forces pushed Iran-backed Houthis out of most areas they had seized last month, including key positions like an airstrip in the Dhubab district.
• The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is a vital oil route, and its previous seizure by Houthis had caused shockwaves in energy markets.
• Concurrently, Houthis made advances near the city of Taiz, threatening to besiege government forces there.

Detailed Insights:

• The advance by the internationally recognised Yemeni government forces was supported by heavy Saudi air strikes.
• The Yemeni Defence Ministry claimed the city of Mocha had fallen, with Houthi fighters retreating into the highlands.
• While recapturing the coastal area hinders Houthi disruption of shipping, they could still attack vessels from inland positions.
• The conflict in Yemen, involving the Houthis and the Saudi-backed government, is described as a spillover from the US-Iran conflict.
• Houthis have controlled many of Yemen's more populous areas, including the capital Sanaa, since 2014.
• The Houthis have also threatened to attack air traffic in Saudi airspace and have fired missiles and drones at Saudi cities.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Bab el-Mandeb Strait: A crucial chokepoint between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, vital for global oil and trade routes.
• Houthis: An Iran-backed Zaidi Shia Islamist political and military organization that controls much of western Yemen.
• Yemeni Civil War: An ongoing multi-sided conflict that began in late 2014, primarily between the Houthi movement and the internationally recognized Yemeni government, supported by a Saudi-led coalition.