Yemen Government Forces Retreat Near Bab al-Mandab Strait

Yemeni government forces announced Sunday they are withdrawing from the area near the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The move is intended to allow them to focus on defending their main base in Aden against Houthi attacks. This withdrawal is considered a significant blow to the Saudi-led campaign against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. Reuters reported that the announcement likely signals the end of the government's six-week counteroffensive, which aimed to recapture the Red Sea coastline. The Houthis had seized this coastal strip in September in a swift advance that disrupted oil exports.

The retreat raises concerns that the Houthis may advance further toward Aden. It also highlights the difficulties Saudi Arabia faces in stopping Houthi drone and missile attacks on its territory. Government forces have been based in Aden, on the southern coast, since 2015, when the Houthis took control of the capital, Sanaa. Recent Houthi gains in Yemen and their attacks on Saudi Arabia and Red Sea shipping have strengthened Iran's position in the broader regional conflict initiated by the United States and Israel in February.