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The Houthis, who are close to Iran, have advanced to within 80 kilometers of Aden, the interim capital of Yemen’s internationally recognized government. Four military sources said this, AnewZ reported, citing Reuters.
The advance has brought the Houthis closer to the city than at any point since 2015, when they briefly entered Aden during the first months of Yemen’s civil war. The fighters were later driven out of the city.
The attack has opened a new front in a wider conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran, heightening concerns about growing regional instability.
Aden-Taiz road under threat
The Houthis captured the al-Maqatirah district following an attack on government positions that began three days ago, military sources said.
Government forces are reported to have withdrawn toward Tur al-Baha. Fighting continued on Monday, November 2, around a military camp about 80 kilometers from Aden.
The Houthi advance threatens the main road linking Aden and Taiz, a key supply route for government-held areas in Yemen’s southwest. The group has also expanded its presence along the Red Sea coast, including positions near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a vital shipping corridor linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
Humanitarian situation worsens in Taiz
The attack comes as the Houthis step up strikes against Saudi Arabia, which supports Yemen’s internationally recognized government. The Saudi-led coalition has intensified airstrikes on Houthi positions, deepening the parties’ involvement in a broader regional confrontation.
Rising tensions have further weakened a UN-mediated truce reached in 2022. Although the truce largely halted major fighting, tensions and sporadic violence have continued.
Yemen’s war began in 2014, when the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, forcing the internationally recognized government to leave the city.
The attacks have increased pressure on Taiz, Yemen’s third-largest city. Taiz has been under siege since early October, when the Houthis closed the main southern road connecting the city to Aden.
More than 100,000 people have been displaced. Restricted access has worsened shortages of food, fuel and medicine. The route through al-Maqatirah had been the last remaining link between government-controlled areas and Taiz.
As fighting draws closer to Aden and key transport routes come under threat, the risk of a deepening humanitarian crisis and rising instability in Yemen is growing.
