Fighting along Yemen’s Red Sea coast has increased between Houthi forces and the internationally recognized government. The clashes, expanded use of drones and missiles, and intercepted Iranian arms consignments raise fresh risks for vessels transiting the Red Sea and Bab el‑Mandeb.
Heavy fighting along the Red Sea coastal strip around Hodeida and south toward Bab el‑Mandeb is ongoing, with neither side achieving major territorial shifts.
Control of coastal islands and ports (including Hodeida, Mocha, Zuqar and the Hanish group) matters because they affect smuggling routes, strike points against shipping, and chokepoint access.
If the Houthis extend control toward Bab el‑Mandeb, ships in the lower Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden could face longer‑range missile and mine threats, complicating commercial transit and military responses.
Fighting has intensified along most of the border between Houthi forces in Yemen and territory held by the internationally recognized government (IRG). The coastal strip that borders the Red Sea is the principal focus. Front lines have seen heavy casualties and sustained clashes, though front‑line positions and held territory have not substantially changed to date.
The coastal strip controls access to ports and islands that influence maritime traffic through the Red Sea and the Bab el‑Mandeb Strait. Houthi control of key ports such as Hodeida, and their efforts to expand, would make it easier for them to smuggle weapons and stage attacks on commercial shipping. The IRG's hold on coastline south of Hodeida and most Red Sea islands helps to restrict Houthi smuggling and reduces the risk of attacks where the Red Sea narrows.
Ships transiting the lower Red Sea and Gulf of Aden face an elevated risk environment: longer‑range anti‑ship missiles, mines, and fast‑boat actions are all present in the operational picture. The reported maritime interdictions and seizures show that smuggling routes and dhow traffic remain avenues for arms flows. Operators will need updated threat assessments, route planning that accounts for potential new attack ranges, and consideration of additional precautions in the corridor.
Full‑scale warfare has not resumed, partly because Saudis and the wider coalition have not fully reengaged. But forces on both sides are preparing for the possibility of broader confrontation. The IRG, led locally by Major General Tariq Saleh and his National Resistance Forces (NRF), is attempting to regain Hodeida to cut Houthi access to supplies. The Houthis aim to expand their coastal holdings to facilitate smuggling and to pressure external maritime interests.
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