Swedish diplomat, UN envoy for Yemen since 2021
Houthi attacks on Yemen’s Red Sea coast have intensified, striking Mocha and al-Makha ports as government forces and militants trade strikes across Marib, Taiz and the western coast. The violence threatens shipping lanes, raises regional tensions, and risks drawing in regional powers as talks for a ceasefire stall.
Yemen's Houthi movement has declared an immediate maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia, saying it will close the Bab al‑Mandab to Saudi vessels in retaliation for a reported Saudi blockade of Houthi ports and last week's strikes on Sanaa airport. The announcement has raised fears of renewed attacks on Red Sea shipping and wider disruption to oil routes that already bypass the Strait of Hormuz.
The US has ongoing shortages of long‑range missiles and interceptors amid the Iran war. Authorities are replenishing stockpiles, ramping up production, and monitoring ally readiness as munitions levels remain stressed. Multiple outlets report depleted Patriot and THAAD interceptors and widespread use of ATACMS, PrSM, Tomahawks, and other missiles.
Since early August the Houthi movement has carried out repeated missile and drone attacks on Yemeni government positions, the Red Sea port of Mocha and Saudi infrastructure, including a claimed strike on Aramco’s Jazan refinery. Yemeni government forces have responded with coordinated artillery, drone and air operations, and the UN has warned the country faces a return to large‑scale war.
UN envoy Hans Grundberg has warned that Yemen faces a renewed large-scale conflict, jeopardising the 2022 truce and risking a broader regional confrontation. Attacks since July 13 have included a Saudi strike on Sanaa airport and Houthi assaults on Abha and Mokha, prompting talks aimed at averting a wider war.
A new wave of Houthi strikes targets Yemeni government sites and Red Sea shipping, raising fears of a broader return to civil conflict. The attacks follow a series of cross-border strikes and a blockade threat that has intensified regional security concerns.