Yemen Monitor / Sana’a – Aden / Special:
Sources from both the Houthis and the internationally recognized government and its allies have revealed that preparations for the return of war to Al-Hudeidah province on the western coast of Yemen are increasing after six years of cessation.
Three military officials loyal to the Houthis in Al-Hudeidah told “Yemen Monitor” that a state of emergency has been declared in the Houthi coastal camps for several days, involving changes in weapon storage and the arrival of hundreds of fighters from other provinces.
In recent days, the Houthis have conducted military maneuvers to repel four maritime and land attacks, showcasing the group’s naval weaponry.
Two sources in Sana’a and Dhamar confirmed that the Houthis are mobilizing fighters in preparation for a battle in Al-Hudeidah.
The source in Sana’a noted that a new directive was issued three weeks ago to mobilize fighters loyal to the group, who have been trained as a popular force under the banner “Tufan Al-Aqsa” to prepare for deployment to Al-Hudeidah, and they have indeed been transported there. According to Houthi announcements, the number of recruits has reached hundreds of thousands.
In the cities of Al-Mokha and Al-Khokha, a military source familiar with the details stated that the National Resistance on the western coast has sent significant military reinforcements to the front lines of the battlefronts, as have the Giants Forces and government troops.
The front lines of the battlefronts in western Yemen extend over 20 km, according to the military source. The government forces had retreated over 170 km by the end of 2021 for unknown reasons, leaving the area to the Houthis up to Al-Khokha district in the southern part of the province.
The sources in this report spoke to “Yemen Monitor” on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the subject.
The Houthis Have Started Mobilizing
The military campaign in Al-Hudeidah achieved significant success, allowing it in 2018 to reach eastern Al-Hudeidah with the goal of “cutting off the lifeline to Sana’a” and controlling the most important civilian port that supplies the areas under Houthi control. However, the operation was halted due to Western pressure and internal disagreements within the government camp, which led to the agreement known as the “Stockholm Agreement” at the end of that year, which the Houthis refused to implement.
An official from the Tihama Resistance Forces told “Yemen Monitor” briefly that the mobilization of troops comes in response to the increasing Houthi reinforcements at the front lines, which raises concerns for government-aligned forces.
He added, “We are ready for war and to liberate Al-Hudeidah from the Houthis,” without providing any further details.
Last Sunday, the Vice President of the Presidential Leadership Council and Head of the Political Bureau of the National Resistance, Tariq Saleh, met with the Commander of the Joint Forces (Saudi), Major General Fahd bin Hamad Al-Salman, at the headquarters of the Joint Forces in Riyadh. Also present at the meeting was the Chief of Staff of the Al-Hudeidah Axis and Commander of the First Tihama Brigade, Brigadier General Farouq Al-Khulani, along with the Commander of the Ninth Giants Brigade, Brigadier General Yahya Wahesh.
On Monday, Tariq Saleh met with the Commander of Maran Axis and Commander of the Al-Urooba Brigades, Major General Abdul Karim Oubal Al-Sudai. This military brigade is supported by Saudi Arabia in Sa’ada province, the Houthi stronghold.
Saudi Arabia’s Maneuvers
The Saudi military commander “Al-Salman also met in Riyadh with the commander of the Giants Forces, Abdulrahman Al-Mahrami (Abu Zar’a), marking the first meeting between Al-Mahrami and the Joint Forces Command in years. Both Al-Mahrami and Tareq Saleh are members of the Presidential Leadership Council formed in 2022 following a UN-brokered truce between government forces and the Houthis. Their forces are supported by the United Arab Emirates in terms of weapons and funding.
The Giants Forces also deployed reinforcements to the frontlines in Shabwa Governorate (eastern Yemen). A Houthi military source stated that this move was to prevent the Giants Forces from participating in a battle they anticipate in Hodeidah.
US envoy to Yemen, Timothy Lenderking, said that his country is holding talks with regional partners to respond to the Houthis.
A Yemeni government official told Yemen Monitor that the Americans and Westerners have conditioned their economic and military support on the unification of the forces loyal to the legitimate government. However, he noted that this has not yet happened.
The Ministries of Defense and Interior have restructured their forces without the participation of the STC forces, which are supported by the UAE, according to a defense platform close to the Yemeni army.
Saudi Arabia is leading efforts to strengthen communication with Yemeni military parties. Lieutenant General Al-Salman has been meeting with military and political leaders since his appointment on August 29 as commander of the Joint Forces, responsible for coordinating military operations within Yemen and on the border fronts. In October, Saudi Arabia also appointed Major General Mohammed Bashir Al-Anzi as commander of the support and backup forces in the Joint Forces.
The government official said that Saudi Arabia wants to exit the war in Yemen but does not want its complete withdrawal to lead to “small wars among its loyal parties,” which would threaten its national security and give the Houthis and separatists the means to divide and control Yemen. The STC accuses the kingdom of undermining its influence in the southern governorates.
The Houthis began attacking commercial ships passing through the Red Sea in mid-November 2023. These attacks forced the rerouting of global trade between Europe and Asia, adding to costs. Over the past year, the United States and its allies have carried out a series of military operations to try to deter the Houthis from launching ballistic and cruise missiles and explosive-laden drones against commercial ships in the Red Sea.
Since January 12, the US and the UK have launched a separate operation targeting Houthi areas. Warplanes and destroyers from the Red Sea have been carrying out airstrikes targeting Houthi weapons and warehouses. However, the Western strikes have not been effective, and the Western buildup of warships in the Red Sea has not deterred the Houthis. Ironically, it has instead encouraged the Houthis to escalate their attacks, suggesting flaws in strategy and planning.
