Houthi fighters are seeking strategic mountain positions near the Red Sea after a reported last-minute decision by Trump to halt planned US airstrikes.
Web Desk: Houthi fighters are pushing to capture strategic highlands in Yemen as the group seeks to consolidate its recent gains along the Red Sea coast, while a report says US President Donald Trump called off planned airstrikes against the group at the last minute.
The reported decision to halt the strikes came after Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman pressed Washington to intervene against the Iran-backed Houthis, according to a New York Times report cited by Reuters. Reuters said it could not independently verify the report, and the US military’s Central Command did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Houthis target strategic mountain positions
Five Yemeni military sources told Reuters that Houthi forces were seeking control of the Kahboub Mountains, which span parts of Taiz and Lahij provinces.
The strategic heights separate the Red Sea coast from areas controlled by Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces. Capturing the positions would potentially allow the Houthis to secure their rear around the Bab al-Mandab Strait and open additional fronts, according to the sources.
Fighting has reportedly concentrated around Al-Wazi’iyah district in Taiz province and Ras al-Ara along the coast.
The Houthis have already made significant territorial gains along Yemen’s western coast, including positions around the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a major international maritime chokepoint connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
Saudi Arabia launches strikes
Saudi Arabia has carried out hundreds of airstrikes against Houthi positions in recent days, according to the Houthis.
Reuters reported that the Saudi-backed government forces have struggled to stop the Houthi advance despite the Saudi air campaign.
The escalation has also widened the humanitarian impact of the fighting. The United Nations has reported nearly 700 deaths, thousands of injuries and more than 120,000 people displaced inside Yemen during the latest flare-up.
US weighs involvement
The developments have created a difficult position for the Trump administration, which faces pressure from its Saudi allies while seeking to avoid expanding the wider regional conflict.
The United States previously conducted a two-month campaign against the Houthis in early 2025 before Trump halted the strikes following a ceasefire agreement with the group.
A separate Reuters report said Trump spoke by phone with Yemeni President Rashad al-Alimi on Sunday, but did not commit to providing direct US military support against the Houthis. Yemeni and Western sources said Alimi had sought American assistance.
Red Sea gains threaten energy supplies
The Houthi advance has raised concerns about international energy and shipping routes because of the group’s growing influence around the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
Saudi Arabia has increased oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz after disruptions to exports through the Red Sea route. Reuters reported that Saudi shipments through Hormuz had risen to about 2.9 million barrels per day, compared with around 700,000 barrels per day in August.
The disruption is also affecting fuel markets. US retail diesel prices reached a reported record above $6.51 per gallon on Monday, according to Reuters.
Diplomatic efforts remain stalled
The latest escalation comes as broader diplomatic efforts to resolve the regional conflict remain stalled.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is expected to travel to New York for the UN General Assembly, while tensions involving Iran, the United States, Saudi Arabia and the Houthis continue to shape security conditions across the region.
