By WorldSpokesperson International Desk
Fighting between Yemen’s Houthi movement and Saudi-backed government forces has sharply intensified, with both sides launching major military operations.
The Houthis claimed attacks on key targets in Saudi Arabia, including King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and an Aramco facility. They also reported attacks on other locations in southern Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, Saudi-backed Yemeni forces launched a major offensive against the Houthis along the Red Sea coast. Government forces reported gains around the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait and the nearby Dhubab area. They also said they had retaken the port city of Mocha.
Yemeni Forces Launch Major Offensive
Yemen’s internationally recognized government has announced a wider military campaign aimed at retaking territory held by the Houthis.
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Government forces also said they had launched a strategic offensive toward Sanaa, the capital controlled by the Houthis. The operation seeks to restore government control and reopen key routes in western Yemen.
The Saudi-led coalition said about 100 fighter jets took part in the operation. It also said its aircraft were providing continuous air support to government forces and protecting the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
The coalition said it had destroyed hundreds of Houthi targets during the campaign. However, battlefield claims from both sides remain difficult to verify independently.
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Houthis Target Saudi Energy and Military Sites
The Houthis responded with missile and drone attacks against Saudi targets.
The group claimed it struck King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, an Aramco refinery and several military sites. Reports also cited claims involving Abha, Najran, Jizan and Khamis Mushait.
The Houthis also claimed a strike on an Aramco facility in Riyadh earlier in the escalation. Saudi authorities and Aramco did not confirm the Houthi account of that attack.
Saudi-led forces, meanwhile, have targeted Houthi positions and military infrastructure along Yemen’s Red Sea coast.
The coalition has also reported operations against weapons stores and maritime capabilities used by the Houthis in the Hodeidah area.
Pakistan and Türkiye Agree to Support Saudi Arabia
The escalation has also activated the Makkah Alliance for Defense.
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye agreed to move immediately toward implementing their collective defense commitments. The three countries also agreed to provide the agreed military forces and defense capabilities and ensure their rapid deployment in Saudi Arabia.
The agreement followed an emergency meeting of the alliance’s Strategic Political and Defense Committee in Riyadh.
The countries did not publicly provide detailed information about the size or specific role of the forces to be deployed. The joint statement said the measures would follow approved arrangements and the national laws of the three countries.
The move marks a major step in putting the Makkah defense agreement into practical operation amid the growing threat from the Yemen conflict.
Mocha and Bab al-Mandeb Become Key Battlegrounds
The latest fighting has focused heavily on Yemen’s Red Sea coast.
Saudi-backed government forces said they had pushed the Houthis away from several positions near Bab al-Mandeb. They also reported control of Dhubab and the recapture of Mocha.
Bab al-Mandeb is a major shipping route linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. Any prolonged fighting around the waterway could affect international trade and energy shipments.
The renewed offensive follows major Houthi advances along parts of Yemen’s western coast in recent weeks.
Global Oil Supply Faces New Pressure
The conflict is also adding pressure to an already strained global energy market.
Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser warned that global oil inventories have fallen to very low levels. He said restoring depleted stocks could take up to two years.
The warning comes as attacks on energy facilities and disruptions around major shipping routes continue to affect global oil markets.
Any further disruption around the Red Sea or Bab al-Mandeb could add to the pressure on international energy supplies.
UN Warns of Growing Humanitarian Crisis
The United Nations has expressed concern over the renewed fighting and its impact on civilians.
The International Organization for Migration said more than 184,000 people were displaced in Yemen between August 1 and October 4 because of the latest escalation. Most of the displacement occurred after the fighting intensified.
The renewed conflict is also threatening humanitarian access and regional stability.
With fighting spreading across key coastal areas, the security of the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb remains a major international concern. Further escalation could also increase risks to global shipping and energy supplies.
