The Houthis advance in Yemen and step up pressure on the United States and its Gulf allies

ADEN, Yemen.– The war in the Middle East added new flashpoints of tension this Sunday, with a retreat by Saudi-backed forces in Yemen in the face of the advance of the Iran-aligned Houthis, and new Iranian drone attacks against US military installations in Bahrain, home to the US Fifth Fleet's headquarters. In Yemen, the internationally recognized government's forces announced a withdrawal from their positions around the strategic Bab el-Mandeb strait in order to concentrate troops in the vicinity of Aden, the country's provisional capital, threatened by the Houthi rebels' advance. The decision represents a major setback for the Riyadh-backed campaign, which had launched a counteroffensive six weeks ago aimed at regaining control of the Red Sea coast and securing one of the world's main maritime routes for trade and global oil transport. Houthi rebels gain ground in Yemen and threaten to take AdenKHALED ZIAD - AFP The Houthi movement, which has controlled the capital Sanaa since 2014, is now some 60 kilometers from Aden, according to military and government sources. Four military sources said the rebels took the districts of Al Maqatirah and Al Madaribah as they advance on Lahij province, located between the strait and the port city. In a statement, the Southern Armed Forces, the main military component fighting alongside the Yemeni government, announced a redeployment of troops from Dhubab airport and the Bab el-Mandeb area in Taiz province. The decision, they explained, seeks to "guarantee the security of the capital, Aden, and neighboring governorates," as well as reinforce other fronts against existing threats. The Bab al-Mandeb and Hormuz straits The withdrawal puts at risk the gains made by the Saudi-backed coalition in recent weeks. An offensive launched last month had allowed the recovery of strategic positions around the strait, although it failed to completely expel the Houthis from the region or retake the coastal city of Al-Mocha. Control of Bab el-Mandeb is of central strategic importance, as the strait connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and constitutes a vital route for maritime trade between Asia and Europe through the Suez Canal. Its eventual consolidation under Houthi control could expand the ability of Iran and its allies to exert pressure on one of the main arteries of international energy trade. Iran and the Houthis open new fronts of pressure on the United States and its Gulf alliesAFP via Getty Images The rebels also intensified their missile and drone attacks on Saudi targets. On Sunday they claimed to have launched two ballistic missiles at King Khalid International Airport and a financial center in Riyadh, in addition to attacking two pumping stations on the East-West pipeline. Saudi Arabia did not initially confirm those operations. Saudi energy infrastructure has taken on added importance since the war in the region disrupted oil transit through the Strait of Hormuz. Clashes between government forces, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, and the Houthis resumed in July, after a truce reached in 2022. Since then they have left more than 1,600 dead and some 300,000 displaced, according to United Nations estimates. Attacks on US bases While the Houthis advanced in Yemen, Iran again attacked US targets in Bahrain, where the US Navy's Fifth Fleet is headquartered. Iran's Revolutionary Guard claimed to have launched six drones at a US military base in retaliation for what it called Washington's "hostile actions." Bahraini authorities reported that their air defenses intercepted and destroyed several attacks, the first such operations since September. During a brief alert, the government asked its citizens and residents to remain calm and seek shelter in the nearest safe place. Two days earlier, the Revolutionary Guard had claimed it attacked a US early-warning radar facility in Bahrain. The US military denied the site had suffered damage and said it had intercepted two Iranian drones. The new attacks could complicate Trump's efforts to reduce the intensity of the conflict. The president had indicated in recent days that he might refrain from launching new operations against Iran if Tehran and the Houthis did not carry out new provocations, although he would maintain the US naval blockade against the Persian country. The war, which contributed to the Republicans' defeat in this month's midterm legislative elections, has become a source of political pressure for the White House. Trump downplayed the need to quickly achieve a diplomatic breakthrough, even though negotiations remain stalled and prospects for a solution remain limited. Tension also spread to the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's Revolutionary Guard said two oil tankers caught fire on Sunday after colliding with naval mines in that waterway, although the information could not be independently verified. Attacks on vessels have become a recurring risk to navigation, even though oil flows from the Gulf had approached pre-war levels in recent weeks. AFP and Reuters agencies