Houthis push for control of Yemen highlands amid reported US strike halt
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Houthis seek control of Yemen highlands amid US strike halt report |
RIYADH/DUBAI — September 21, 2026
Houthi fighters are seeking to capture strategic mountain positions in Yemen as fighting intensifies with Saudi-backed government forces, following a report that US President Donald Trump called off planned strikes against the group at the last minute.
The New York Times reported that the Trump administration had prepared airstrikes on Sunday after renewed requests from Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, but that Trump ordered them cancelled while US troops were loading bombs onto aircraft. Reuters could not independently verify the report, while the US military referred questions to the White House, which had not immediately commented.
The escalation follows a rapid Houthi advance this month that has expanded the conflict into another part of the Middle East and raised concerns about energy supplies. The Houthis, who have controlled Yemen's capital since 2014, have also claimed responsibility for missile attacks on Riyadh, including an attack reported on Saturday that would be the first on the Saudi capital since the latest escalation began. Saudi authorities have not commented on the claim.
Yemen's internationally recognised government has sought US military support. President Rashid al-Alimi spoke with Trump by phone on Sunday, according to four sources, but two of those sources said Trump made no direct commitment to provide military assistance.
Saudi Arabia has continued carrying out airstrikes against Houthi positions in the country's highlands. The Houthis say hundreds of strikes have been conducted in recent days, while fighting has focused on areas that could help determine whether the group can consolidate its recent territorial gains.
Five Yemeni military sources said the Houthis are trying to capture the Kahboub Mountains in Taiz and Lahij provinces. The mountain area lies between the Red Sea coast and territory held by Saudi-backed government forces in southern Yemen.
Fighting has centred around the remote Al-Wazi'iyah district in Taiz province and Ras al-Ara on the coast. The area lies between the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, at the entrance to the Red Sea, and Aden, a major base of the internationally recognised government.
Yemeni journalist and political analyst Mohammed Al-Qadhi said government forces appeared largely defensive after losing positions around Bab el-Mandeb, while the Houthis were trying to maintain their advance despite heavy airstrikes. He said control of the mountain positions could influence whether the Houthis consolidate their gains or government forces retain positions needed for a counteroffensive.
The conflict is also creating pressure on Saudi Arabia's energy export routes. The Houthi advance along the Red Sea threatens a key alternative route that Saudi Arabia uses to move oil while avoiding the Strait of Hormuz.
Saudi Arabia has increased oil shipments through Hormuz as a result. Traders say the kingdom has arranged for 60 million barrels of oil to be sold for loading this month and next from locations off Oman, while satellite data indicates that Saudi shipments through the strait have recently risen to about 2.9 million barrels per day from 700,000 in August.
The additional shipments have helped limit the rise in global crude prices, which have moved back toward $100 a barrel after approaching $110 the previous week. However, prices for some refined fuels remain high, with US retail diesel reaching another record level on Monday.
Britain has also agreed to provide Saudi Arabia with defensive air-to-air refuelling support for a limited period, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said. France, meanwhile, is prepared to help protect Saudi energy infrastructure in Yanbu on the Red Sea coast and along the East-West pipeline corridor, according to a French diplomatic source.
The United Nations estimates that nearly 700 people have been killed and thousands injured in the recent fighting. Nearly 130,000 Yemenis have been displaced inside the country, while more than 3,000 people have crossed the Red Sea by boat to Africa.
The wider regional conflict has also affected shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Britain's maritime security agency said a ship entering the strait was struck by a projectile, causing minor injuries to crew members, and reported an earlier attack on a gas tanker.
Diplomatic efforts over the broader conflict have largely stalled since a temporary US-Iran ceasefire agreement in June broke down within weeks. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is due to travel to New York on Tuesday for the United Nations General Assembly.
