{"id":68279,"date":"2026-09-11T21:58:10","date_gmt":"2026-09-11T21:58:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/?p=68279"},"modified":"2026-09-11T21:59:29","modified_gmt":"2026-09-11T21:59:29","slug":"what-can-yemen-and-saudi-arabia-do-in-response","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/what-can-yemen-and-saudi-arabia-do-in-response\/","title":{"rendered":"What can Yemen and Saudi Arabia do in response?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"By Nawaz Kamaal | Karachi<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

The Houthis have now taken control of Yemen\u2019s western coast, in other words, the Bab al-Mandab Strait. This is almost as big a development as the fall of Aleppo, Hama, or Homs from Bashar\u2019s hands in December 2024.<\/p>\n

The Houthi flag is now flying over Mocha, Dhubab, and Mayyun Island, which sits right at the gateway of Bab al-Mandab.However, the southwestern city of Taiz is still under government control. Troops retreating from the western coast are regrouping there and preparing for a counterattack.<\/p>\n

Saudi Arabia has also carried out airstrikes in various areas, including Mocha Airport. The aim seems to be that if the counteroffensive succeeds and the Houthis get encircled in the south, they won\u2019t be able to receive any kind of support.<\/p>\n

Taiz can be called the last stronghold. If the government forces and their allies push forward from here, they could pull off something remarkable. But if instead the Houthis gain ground and manage to capture Taiz, then the chances of the capital Aden also falling will increase significantly.<\/p>\n

The question here is: just two days ago it felt like Sanaa was about to slip from the Houthis\u2019 hands. How did the entire situation change so suddenly?One fact cannot be denied: the Houthis are a consolidated force. Their army numbers over 200,000. Many Arab states don\u2019t even have armies that large. Iran applied to the Houthis the same \u201cantidote\u201d it considered successful for itself against every threat, so it filled their arsenals with all kinds of missiles.<\/p>\n

In 2014 the Houthis captured Sanaa. In response, in 2015 a coalition force was formed under Saudi Arabia\u2019s leadership. In the south, troops from Morocco, Sudan, Egypt, and the UAE along with a few other countries were deployed. The largest contingent was from Sudan, around 30,000.<\/span> Command of this entire southern region was handed to the United Arab Emirates, and this was Saudi Arabia\u2019s biggest mistake.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The UAE organized small groups along the south and western coast and in effect took control of the Gulf of Aden and Bab al-Mandab. Besides that, it also created a parallel force called the STC.<\/p>\n

The important port of Hodeidah on the western coast was under Houthi control. In its southern area, the Tihama Resistance was a scattered regional force which the UAE organized by giving weapons and money.<\/p>\n

In Khokha and Hays etc., this group had 10 to 15 thousand fighters.The most prominent force on the western coast is the Al-Amaliqa Brigades, which has more than 20,000 fighters from southern regions like Lahj, Al-Dhalea, and Abyan.<\/p>\n

This group was also organized by the UAE. When Khokha and Mocha and other key areas were taken from the Houthis in 2017, the Tihama Resistance and Al-Amaliqa Brigades were at the forefront.<\/p>\n

Pakistan warns Iran to rein in Houthis after Saudi strikes | Iran says it does not control Houthis<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n