Yemen’s National Defense Council said the Houthis’ gains on the ground along the western coast remained temporary and that the use of armed force could not create a permanent political or geographic situation.
At a meeting chaired by Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi, developments along the western coast of Taiz province and the redeployment of forces in the area were discussed. The council said a temporary advance on the ground could not be used as justification for imposing a fait accompli.
Emphasis on sovereignty over Yemeni territory
The council said the effort to restore state institutions would not leave any part of Yemeni territory outside the sovereignty of the state. It said Yemeni territory would not be allowed to serve as a platform for threatening Yemen, neighboring countries or international maritime transport.
The statement said the Yemeni state would continue to fulfill its constitutional and national responsibilities until the process described as a coup and the threat to Yemen, the region and the world came to an end.
Message on the Bab el-Mandeb and Saudi Arabia
The council said defending the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, Yemen’s coastline, islands and territorial waters was not limited to the country’s security. It added that this defense was also important for freedom of navigation, maritime security and the stability of global trade.
The international community was urged not to allow the strait, Yemen’s coastline or its islands to be used in a way that would threaten international maritime transport or trade. The council also condemned new attacks targeting Saudi Arabian territory and said Yemen stood in solidarity with Saudi Arabia.
Military developments reported along the western coast
Military activity has intensified along Yemen’s western coast in recent days, with reports of Houthi forces entering some areas in the districts of Hays and Al-Khawkhah, south of Hudaydah province. These developments followed the withdrawal of government forces and their allies from some positions in the area.
The coastal strip around Mokha holds strategic importance because of its location near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. The strait is one of the world’s major maritime routes.
Military tensions between government forces and the Houthis have risen again since July, after a relatively calm period following the ceasefire that began in April 2022. The Houthis have controlled the capital, Sanaa, and large areas of northern and western Yemen since 2014. The government and its allies continue to control areas in the south and east of the country.
