Houthi rebels launched a military campaign last month to capture the coast of Yemen along the Red Sea. The group is currently expanding its control over rural regions and smaller major cities while seeking to dominate Aden and the coastal city of Mocha.
Rebels are also attempting to secure the road to Aden and control the Gulf of Aden. Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed, who served as Yemen's prime minister from 2018 to 2024, warned that the Houthis are planning to take over all of Yemen.
Saeed stated, "In a matter of days there will be a full siege and they will try to enter the city. I know the Houthis. They will show some flexibility until they are ready to control. It will be much worse than the siege of 2015. It will be catastrophic." The city of Taiz, which houses more than 500,000 people, faces pressure from Houthi forces attacking from four different axes.
While the rebels allow some fuel and commodities into the urban area of Taiz, they are also targeting parts of the south including the al-Sabiha former Soviet camp in Lahij. The conflict follows a 2022 UN-brokered ceasefire that froze the frontlines.
Previous Houthi actions include firing ballistic missiles at Aden airport in December 2020, which killed 28 people and injured 107 from a missile travelling 186 miles. The group also struck Abu Dhabi oil tanker trucks more than 900 miles away in January 2022 and hit the Nushayma oil terminal and al-Dhabba port in October 2022.
In September, the Houthis attacked Saudi east-to-west pipelines, following a 2017 attack involving blind missiles fired at Saudi Arabia. Iranian experts operated from the Houthi capital, Sana’a, in 2020 as the group developed a missile base to help Iran expand chaos.
The United States attacked Yemen in March 2025. Aidarous al-Zubaidi called for a mobilisation of southern troops against the Houthis on Tuesday and demanded a referendum on secession within two years.
Tens of thousands joined al-Zubaidi in the streets on Wednesday to show support.
