Yemen's government forces have struck Houthi fighters in the Red Sea port city of Mocha, military officials announced, as renewed fighting drives tens of thousands of civilians from their homes.
State news agency Saba reported that government troops destroyed vehicles and weapons and killed several Houthi fighters near Mocha and on the city's outskirts.
Meanwhile, the Houthis claimed that Saudi aircraft carried out 129 air strikes against areas under their control over the past 48 hours.
The fighting follows a week-long Houthi offensive in which the group captured the remainder of Yemen's Red Sea coast and strategic islands, cementing its control over the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
The waterway has become vital for Saudi oil shipments following disruptions to Gulf routes, while the Houthis have declared an active blockade against Saudi Red Sea ports.
Cross-border tensions also flared late Saturday when Saudi authorities reported that a Houthi projectile landed near the southern border, injuring two people and damaging a mosque, civilian vehicles, and adjacent buildings.
Displacement surges
The clashes have triggered widespread displacement. The UN migration agency confirmed that 76,000 people have fled the fighting since July—a figure that has quadrupled over the past week alone—warning that humanitarian needs are severely outstripping available relief supplies.
The fall of Mocha forced thousands to flee toward Aden, the temporary base of the internationally recognised government.
Displaced residents reported being given half an hour by advancing forces to leave their homes, with many arriving in Aden without access to basic shelter.
Diplomatically, US news site Axios reported that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke twice with US President Donald Trump last week to request American air strikes against the Houthis, a request Washington rejected.
Trump acknowledged speaking with the Saudi crown prince, remarking that the Houthis "don't want to fight with us" and predicting that "everything's gonna work out fine and dandy."
More than 500 people have been killed since fighting flared in July, threatening to unravel years of relative calm.
