Houthi offensive on Red Sea coast leaves hundreds dead and displaces 82,000

Rapid advance along the Red Sea

Houthi forces advanced southward along Yemen's western coast, seizing the port city of Mocha, the island of Perim, and coastal positions near Dhubab. The push brings rebel units directly adjacent to the Bab el-Mandeb strait, a maritime chokepoint carrying roughly 10% of global seaborne trade. In response, Yemen's internationally recognized government reported ballistic missile and drone strikes targeting residential districts and displacement camps across Taiz, Hodeida, and Marib. Houthi military units also launched ballistic missiles and drones against Saudi military command centers in Sharurah, which Houthi officials described as retaliation for Riyadh's backing of the Yemeni government.

A spokesperson for the Houthi forces, Yahya Sari, announced the attacks on Saudi positions following the coastal push.

The operation was carried out with a large salvo of ballistic missiles and drones, achieving precise and direct hits through the grace and help of Allah.

Casualties and militia repositioning

The clashes between Houthi units and government-aligned militias represent some of the heaviest fighting along the western coast in years. The pro-government National Resistance militia, commanded by Tariq Saleh, confirmed on 13 September that 500 of its fighters died and 1,500 suffered injuries in combat between 9 August and 10 September. The militia stated that Houthi forces lost over 1,000 fighters during the same engagement, while accusing Iran's Revolutionary Guard of aiding the assault. Yemen's Ministry of Human Rights in Aden separately reported that Houthi attacks killed at least 150 civilians and wounded more than 200 over a ten-day span starting 3 September. Following the loss of Mocha, National Resistance forces withdrew to establish secondary defensive lines while carrying out artillery strikes in Marib, Al Jawf, and Al Bayda.

Humanitarian crisis and displacement

The offensive triggered large-scale displacement across multiple governorates in southwestern Yemen. The International Organization for Migration reported that 82,164 people fled their homes between 3 September and 13 September, with figures rising from 46,000 on Friday and 76,000 on Saturday. Taiz province saw the heaviest movement, accounting for approximately 56,000 displaced residents, while 19,000 fled Lahij and 8,000 left Hodeida. A further 2,500 individuals left the southern port of Aden as fighting disrupted transit corridors. The Aden-based government also cited raids on humanitarian agency facilities, the looting of public institutions, and the abduction of a journalist in Mocha.

Maritime flight to Djibouti

Escaping the coastal fighting, thousands of Yemeni civilians attempted sea crossings across the Bab el-Mandeb strait toward East Africa. Djibouti's Minister of Economy, Ilyas Moussa Dawaleh, reported that 1,400 refugees arrived on Djiboutian shores within a single 24-hour window. The International Organization for Migration confirmed that more than 2,000 people landed near Obock in northern Djibouti since 10 September, prompting local authorities and United Nations agencies to activate emergency response operations. Amy Pope, the Director General of the International Organization for Migration, called on international donors to deliver swift financial resources to support the incoming refugees and the host communities in Obock.

They cross the sea with nothing because they have no other choice. Yemen is a country torn by poverty and conflict, and it cannot face this crisis alone.