- The Houthis captured the port city of Mokha and an island on the Red Sea, a crucial shipping alternative to the Strait of Hormuz.
- The Yemeni government conceded a 'painful' defeat and vowed to send more forces to the Red Sea coast.
- Fighting intensified on Sunday as government forces launched attacks against Houthi rebels along the Red Sea and Houthis fired into Saudi Arabia.
- Saudi authorities sounded sirens in the southern city of Abha and Khamis Mushait province, warning residents to take shelter from potential incoming fire.
- The Houthis claimed to have used drones and missiles to target Saudi Arabia, including a military base just over the border with Yemen.
- Saudi civil defense reported a projectile near the border injured two people and damaged a mosque and other buildings.
- The National Resistance reported more than 500 government fighters killed, 1,500 wounded, and over 1,000 Houthis killed.
- The UN estimated more than 80,000 people displaced since the start of September.
- A woman fleeing the town of Khawkha in Hodeida province described a horrific scene: “I saw with my own eyes cars and buses burning, and bodies of children and women were lying on the road in a horrific scene.”
Fighting in Yemen has intensified as Houthi rebels launched more attacks on Saudi Arabia, leading the Yemeni government to promise additional military support following a 'painful' defeat in Mokha. The Houthis captured the strategic port city and an island, crucial for shipping routes.123
The Yemeni government reported over 500 government fighters killed on the west coast in the past month, with 1,500 wounded since August 9. The Houthis claimed to have targeted Saudi Arabia using drones and missiles, with attacks reported in Abha and Khamis Mushait.457
A woman fleeing the violence described a horrific scene, stating, “I saw with my own eyes cars and buses burning, and bodies of children and women were lying on the road”. The United Nations has estimated that more than 80,000 people have been displaced since the beginning of September, highlighting the humanitarian crisis as the conflict escalates.8
The National Resistance, a government-allied force, reported significant casualties among both government and Houthi fighters, with over 1,000 Houthis killed in Hodeida and Taiz provinces. The situation remains dire as both sides prepare for further confrontations.
“The UN estimates over 80,000 people have been displaced since September, and the National Resistance reports more than 500 government fighters killed on the west coast in four weeks. A woman fleeing Khawkha described seeing burning cars and bodies of children and women on the road.”
