The Media Line: Yemen Forces Prepare To Defend Marib as Houthis Expand Red Sea Control  

Yemen Forces Prepare To Defend Marib as Houthis Expand Red Sea Control  

By The Media Line Staff  

Yemeni government troops are preparing to block any Houthi attempt to seize Marib as the Iran-backed group expands its foothold elsewhere in the country, including along the Red Sea coast and around the Bab el Mandeb Strait.  

Brig. Yahya Al-Hatemi, the Yemeni army’s military media director, said years of combat had strengthened government forces and left them capable of resisting a Houthi push into Marib, a major government-held area since the conflict intensified in 2015.  

“The armed forces have generally become more organized, powerful and effective,” Al-Hatemi told Arab News.  

“Over the past decade, they have gained combat experience that enabled them to overcome adversity, master military tactics and identify the enemy’s strengths and weaknesses.”  

The Houthis, meanwhile, have captured towns along Yemen’s southern Red Sea coastline in recent days and established control over the Bab el Mandeb Strait, a major maritime trade route.  

Their position at the strait strengthened after troops aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognized government abandoned Perim, or Mayyun, an island located in the middle of its southern entrance. The departure left the Houthis holding a strategically important position from which they can exert control over the waterway.  

The group also took Mokha last week, with a CNN report pointing to severe manpower problems among the government battalions assigned to the strategic port city.  

Although military records indicated a much larger defending force, a source told CNN that many soldiers listed on the payroll did not exist. Salaries continued to be collected for these “ghost names,” while the actual number of troops was only around 20% of the force shown on paper.  

CNN said multiple sources differed over responsibility for the failure to prevent Mokha’s capture, assigning blame variously to Yemeni leaders, the United States and Saudi Arabia.  

Israel’s defense establishment is closely watching the Houthis’ growing presence along the Red Sea coast. Officials in Jerusalem consider the expansion concerning, but the defense establishment is not expected to take action unless the Houthis directly attack Israel.