New Houthi advance in Yemen war

Tension and violence continue in Yemen. The Houthis have taken control of Mount Hilan, very close to Marib. The rebels have been fighting for control of the region for some time, intensifying their offensive in February. The Marib region is the last government stronghold in the north of the country with significant oil and gas reserves. The Shi'ite group is on the verge of its objective.

The Yemeni government has criticised this advance and considers Marib "in danger". The region is home to a large number of government troops and nearly two million people displaced from other parts of the country. "They took control of Mount Hilan surrounding Marib after fighting that left dozens dead," a government military officer told AFP. The Ministry of Defence has also stated that "the Houthi terrorist militia has suffered successive major defeats on several battlefields on the outskirts of Marib province". They also point to "heavy material and human losses" among the rebel movement.

The international community has condemned the Houthi offensive. The UN has expressed its concern over the new escalation of violence and the humanitarian situation in the country. "The fighting poses a threat to attempts to end the war in Yemen at a time when the international community is increasingly united to end the conflict," the Security Council said. Some Western countries have also condemned the Houthi conquest. A joint statement issued by the US State Department criticised the attack: "We, the governments of France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States condemn the Houthi offensive in the Yemeni city of Marib and the large-scale escalation of Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia". This US-led condemnation of the Houthi actions comes after the Biden administration ceased to consider the Shia rebels a terrorist organisation.

This military advance coincides with a series of attacks the rebel group has carried out against Saudi Arabia. In early March they attacked a state oil company in Jeddah in the west of the country. There has also been an increase in the launching of explosive drones and missiles into Saudi territory. The Houthis have declared that they will not cease attacks until Saudi Arabia lifts the air and sea blockade, a key condition for a ceasefire. 

This new escalation will further worsen the situation in Yemen. According to the UN, the war in Yemen is the most serious humanitarian crisis in the world since international intervention began in 2015. In that year the Houthis took over the country's capital, Sana'a, so the Yemeni government asked its allies in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for a military campaign to expel the rebels. Iran, a major enemy of Riyadh, has been funding and providing military training to the Houthis, although the rebel group has repeatedly acted against Tehran's advice during the war. In 2018 the two sides in the war managed to reach an agreement in Stockholm, mediated by the UN. This breakthrough was seen as a starting point for ending the war. 2020 saw another important moment, as the first prisoner exchange was approved after several meetings of the Yemeni warring sides in Jordan. However, the latest fighting has made peace negotiations increasingly difficult.