Yemen: Yemen's National Defense Council declared that any advances made by the Houthis are temporary and will not become a "geographic reality," as reported by the official Saba news agency.
According to Anadolu Agency, the council, led by Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi, emphasized that any Houthi attempts to transform temporary field gains into a lasting political or geographic reality are illusory and will be overcome by the resolve of the Yemeni people and the valor of their armed forces. Reviewing recent developments in the Taiz province's western coastal area and the redeployment of forces, the council asserted that temporary field advances do not entitle the militias to impose a fait accompli by force.
The council further stated that the battle to reclaim state institutions cannot leave any part of the republic's territory outside its sovereignty, nor can it allow any region of Yemen to be used as a platform for threatening Yemen, its neighbors, or international shipping routes. The council reiterated its commitment to fulfilling its constitutional and national responsibilities until the coup ends and the threat, which affects Yemen, the region, and the world, is neutralized.
Moreover, the council highlighted that Yemen, while defending the Bab al-Mandab Strait, its coasts, islands, and territorial waters, is not only protecting itself but also safeguarding freedom of navigation, maritime security, global trade stability, and the interests of countries and peoples beyond its borders.
In a call for international support, the council urged the global community to prevent the strait and Yemen's coasts and islands from being used as instruments of blackmail or as platforms for threatening international navigation and trade. It insisted that Yemen is merely requesting the world to enforce international legitimacy resolutions and support its government's efforts to protect its territory, sovereignty, territorial waters, and national institutions.
The council held the Houthi militias entirely accountable for the consequences of their escalated terrorist activities, stressing that they initiated the conflict and must face the repercussions. It also strongly condemned the renewed attacks by the Houthi militias on Saudi Arabian territory, reaffirming Yemen's complete solidarity with the kingdom.
These remarks come amid rapid military developments along Yemen's western coast, with media reports indicating Houthi advances toward areas near Mocha and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. Yemeni media reported that Houthi forces had entered areas in the Hays and Al-Khawkhah districts in southern Al-Hudaydah province following the withdrawal of government and allied forces.
The strategic importance of Mocha and its surrounding coast is amplified by their proximity to Bab al-Mandeb, a crucial maritime route linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. Since July, Yemen has witnessed renewed military escalation between government forces and the Houthis, following years of relative calm after a truce began in April 2022. The Houthis have controlled the capital, Sanaa, and large areas of northern and western Yemen since 2014, while the government and allied forces maintain control over regions in the south and east.