Yemen: PM warns Houthi advances do not signal end of conflict

Yemeni Prime Minister Shayea al-Zandani stated during a cabinet meeting in Aden that recent military setbacks do not signal the end of the conflict or a decisive shift in its course. He emphasized that the state's success depends on its ability to regain initiative and maintain essential services despite the escalation.

Reports indicate that Houthi forces have seized control of several districts in the Hodeidah and Taiz governorates along the West Coast, including Hays, Al Khokha, and Al Wazi'iyah. Crucially, the group has reportedly taken control of islands in the Red Sea, including Perim Island (Miyun) located at the Bab al-Mandab Strait, granting them influence over a vital global maritime corridor.

In response, government forces reported advances in the Al Jawf governorate near the Saudi Arabian border and conducted airstrikes against Houthi targets in Mocha, Taiz, Lahj, and Al Dhale. The Prime Minister characterized the Houthi escalation as a dangerous development linked to an Iranian agenda aimed at threatening regional security and international navigation.