**Yemen: Iran-Aligned Houthis Rout Their Opponents and Seize Control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait**

_Opinion by journalist Yury Podolyaka:_

The pace of developments in Yemen has been astonishing. Just a week ago, the situation appeared relatively stable. The fighting began with exchanges of strikes and the low-intensity clashes that have become routine in the country. At the same time, the mass mobilization of men in Houthi-controlled areas pointed to the seriousness of their intentions.

During the first weeks of the fighting, however, events seemed to be following the familiar pattern of earlier escalations: a brief round of hostilities followed by rapid de-escalation. But in early September, the first signs of an impending collapse began to emerge—at least from the perspective of the pro-Saudi forces.

After regrouping against the so-called “Saleh army” (shown in blue on the map), Houthi forces launched several converging attacks from the north and east. The decisive moment came when the Houthis broke through at the boundary between the sectors held by Saleh’s forces and government troops. That breakthrough set the stage for the rout that followed.

On September (9), reports emerged that the Houthis had seized a strategically important road junction east of Mocha. The move cut the pro-Saudi allies’ supply lines and lines of communication, while exposing Saleh’s army’s flank. And then the army broke and ran—quite literally.

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