On December 30, 2025, Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi held a virtual meeting with the group’s leadership in Sanaa, during which he called for mobilisation and preparation for the next phase, with a focus on regaining the western coast, according to Yemeni sources familiar with the details of the meeting.
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Experts warn that this move signals increasing Houthi expansion toward the south, following a series of military operations that allowed the group to re-enter areas it had previously lost over past years.
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Yemen’s southern coast is a vital region for maritime navigation and international trade, making any military escalation there a direct threat to shipping in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
The Houthis appear to be exploiting tensions among the government forces supported by the Arab Coalition to expand their influence in southern provinces, amid local and international warnings about the potential consequences of any security vacuum on maritime routes and global trade.
Military analysts believe that the Houthis’ recent actions underscore their determination to strengthen their strategic presence in the south, including control over key ports and threats to navigation routes, at a time when the Yemeni state continues to struggle to assert full control over its territory.
