---
title: "Houthis Strike Saudi Arabia and Reach Bab el-Mandeb: Yemen Enters an \"Extremely Dangerous Phase\" of the War"
description: "The Houthis carried out a missile-drone strike on a military base in Saudi Arabia and captured the port of Mukalla, reaching the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The UN warns of an \"extremely dangerous phase\" of the war, and more than 46,000 people have already been displaced in Yemen."
date: 2026-09-13T07:39:58.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/houthi-strike-saudi-arabia-bab-el-mandeb
tags: [yemen, houthi, saudi-arabia, bab-el-mandeb, red-sea, middle-east, oil-prices, un]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Houthis Strike Saudi Arabia and Reach Bab el-Mandeb: Yemen Enters an "Extremely Dangerous Phase" of the War

![Yemeni army general at a press conference in front of the national flag](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/13/hushity-udar-po-saudovskoy-avrii-bab-el-mandeb/hushity-udar-po-saudovskoy-avrii-bab-el-mandeb-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- The Houthis announced the launch of ballistic missiles and drones at the Sharurah base in Saudi Arabia; in Al-Tuwaij Governorate, a shell injured two people
- The rebels captured the port of Mukalla and the entire Hodeidah Governorate, approaching the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and Perim Island
- According to IOM data, about 46,000 people have been displaced in the Taiz and Hodeidah Governorates; the UN calls the situation an "extremely dangerous phase"
- Trump reported a phone contact with the Houthis; sources report two calls from MBS requesting a strike on the rebels — both sides did not confirm

The armed conflict in Yemen, which had been experiencing a period of relative calm since July 2026, is undergoing a sharp escalation. The Houthi rebels, having entrenched themselves in the strategically important Red Sea port city of Mukalla and established control over the entire Hodeidah Governorate, have moved to active strikes on Saudi Arabian territory. A representative of the Houthi armed forces, Yahya Sary, stated on the X platform that the group launched "a large number of ballistic missiles and drones" at the Sharurah military base in the south of the kingdom. According to him, the attack targeted weapons depots and command-and-control points and was a response to Saudi offensive operations in Yemen. Sary warned that the rebels would extend their strikes deeper into "enemy territory" if hostilities continue. Saudi officials did not comment on the Houthi statement at the time of writing.

### Consequences of the Shelling in Al-Tuwaij Governorate

Even before Sary's statement, on Saturday morning, Saudi Arabia confirmed the fall of an artillery shell in Al-Tuwaij Governorate, part of the Jazan region in the southwest of the kingdom. As a result of the incident, two people were injured, and a mosque, several buildings, and vehicles were damaged. This confirmation became the first public acknowledgment by Riyadh of the consequences of Houthi strikes on its own territory during the current phase of escalation.

### Rapid Houthi Advance and Control over Hodeidah

The military dynamics on the ground in Yemen indicate a turning point in favor of the rebels. After intensifying their offensive in the Taiz area, Houthi forces captured Mukalla — a key Red Sea port city — and took control of the entire western Hodeidah Governorate. By September 11, the rebels continued their advance toward Perim Island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, approaching the southwestern coastal areas of Yemen. At the same time, government forces reported advances in the northern Al-Jawf Governorate, which borders Saudi Arabia, and an offensive toward the administrative center Al-Hazm. Thus, the front of the conflict is expanding simultaneously in the west and the north of the country.

### Threat to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Global Market

Houthi control over the port of Mukalla and the surrounding islands gives them direct access to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait — a waterway about 32 kilometers wide, connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and serving as a trade artery between Asia and Europe. The risk of a de facto blockade of the strait may force cargo ships to round the southern tip of Africa, significantly increasing voyage times and putting pressure on global logistics. Analysts link the ongoing conflict and the attacks on Saudi Arabia to rising oil prices above the $100-per-barrel mark.

### Diplomatic Maneuvering by Washington, Riyadh, and Sanaa

The diplomatic track is no less tense. On September 12, US President Donald Trump stated that the Houthi rebels initiated a phone call with the American side, expressing a desire to avoid hostilities and not wanting US intervention in the conflict. The Houthis did not provide an official comment at the time of publication. Earlier, on September 10, sources reported that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called Trump twice, requesting a military strike on the Houthis. According to the same sources, Washington refused direct combat action, limiting itself to a promise to provide Riyadh with intelligence and assistance in identifying targets. Neither the White House nor the Saudi side publicly confirmed these talks.

### Contradictory Data

Discrepancies in key figures and statuses are recorded in available sources. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) data from September 11, about 46,000 people in the Taiz and Hodeidah Governorates were forced to leave their homes. Meanwhile, the British newspaper The Guardian reports on nearly 50,000 displaced persons — a difference of 4,000 people that may be related to different counting methodologies or to differences in the dates of recording. In addition, Trump's statement about a phone contact with the Houthis and reports of MBS calls to Trump are based on the president's own words or anonymous sources; none of the parties — neither the Houthis, nor the White House, nor Riyadh — has provided official confirmation of these dialogues. Finally, Saudi authorities confirmed only one incident involving a shell in Al-Tuwaij, while the Houthis claim a massive missile-drone strike on the Sharurah base; independent verification of the scale of the attack is currently absent.

### Humanitarian Crisis and the UN Assessment

The rapid Houthi advance has turned into a humanitarian catastrophe for the civilian population. According to IOM data, hundreds of people have been killed, tens of thousands have been forced to leave their homes, and many vital roads and communication networks have been blocked. The UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, stated that the country is entering a "new and extremely dangerous phase of the war," emphasizing that half of Yemen's population is facing acute food shortages. Against the backdrop of the expanding front and the threat to maritime communications, the international community is facing growing pressure: the escalation in Yemen is already going beyond the bounds of a regional conflict and is becoming a factor of global economic instability.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [The conflict in Yemen is sharply escalating: Houthi rebels approach a strategically important strait and attack Saudi Arabian bases.](https://www.vietnam.vn/ru/chien-su-yemen-leo-thang-du-doi-houthi-ap-sat-eo-bien-chien-luoc-tan-cong-can-cu-a-rap-xe-ut) - Подтверждает захват Мохи, контроль над Ходейдой, продвижение к Периму, данные МОМ о 46 000 перемещённых, заявление Грундберга, угрозу проливу
- [Ballistics and drones: Houthis report a new strike on Saudi Arabia](https://www.9tv.co.il/item/265163) - Подтверждает заявление Яхьи Сари о запуске баллистических ракет и дронов по базе Шарура, инцидент в Аль-Тувале с двумя ранеными
- [Yemeni Houthis advance toward Bab el-Mandeb and threaten one of the key maritime ...](https://www.rfi.fr/ru/%D0%B2-%D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%B5/20260910-%D0%B9%D0%B5%D0%BC%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B5-%D1%85%D1%83%D1%81%D0%B8%D1%82%D1%8B-%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%BD%D1%83%D0%BB%D0%B8%D1%81%D1%8C-%D0%BA-%D0%B1%D0%B0%D0%B1-%D1%8D%D0%BB%D1%8C-%D0%BC%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%B1%D1%83-%D0%B8-%D1%83%D0%B3%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B6%D0%B0%D1%8E%D1%82-%D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%BC%D1%83-%D0%B8%D0%B7-%D0%BA%D0%BB%D1%8E%D1%87%D0%B5%D0%B2%D1%8B%D1%85-%D0%BC%D0%BE%D1%80%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8%D1%85-%D0%BC%D0%B0%D1%80%D1%88%D1%80%D1%83%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%B2-%D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%B0) - Подтверждает продвижение к Баб-эль-Мандебу, угрозу морским маршрутам, экономические последствия для мировой торговли
- [What is going on in Yemen? Well, it's all fun there](https://svobodanews.ru/politika/chto-tvoritsya-v-yemene-a-tam-vsyo-veselo.html) - Дополнительный контекст по дипломатическим заявлениям (Трамп, МбС), однако детали звонков не подтверждены официально

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: What exactly did the Houthis attack in Saudi Arabia?
**A:** According to the statement of the Houthi armed forces representative Yahya Sary, the group launched ballistic missiles and drones at the Sharurah military base in the south of Saudi Arabia, targeting weapons depots and command-and-control points. The Saudi side confirmed only the fall of one shell in Al-Tuwaij Governorate (Jazan region), as a result of which two people were injured.

### Q: Which territories do the Houthis currently control?
**A:** By September 11–13, 2026, the Houthis captured the port of Mukalla on the Red Sea and established control over the entire Hodeidah Governorate. They are continuing their offensive toward Perim Island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Government forces, in turn, are advancing in the northern Al-Jawf Governorate toward the city of Al-Hazm.

### Q: How serious is the threat to global trade?
**A:** Houthi control over Mukalla and their approach to Perim Island give them the ability to threaten shipping in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait (width ~32 km), through which a significant part of trade between Asia and Europe passes. A blockade of the strait would force ships to round Africa, increasing voyage times and pressure on prices, including oil, which has already exceeded $100 per barrel.

### Q: What is known about diplomatic contacts?
**A:** On September 12, Trump stated that the Houthis themselves reached out to the US, wishing to avoid hostilities. On September 10, sources reported two calls from Crown Prince MBS to Trump requesting a strike on the Houthis; the US, according to the same data, limited itself to a promise of intelligence assistance. Neither the Houthis, nor the White House, nor Riyadh officially confirmed these conversations.

### Q: How many people have been affected by the escalation?
**A:** According to IOM data from September 11, about 46,000 people in the Taiz and Hodeidah Governorates were forced to leave their homes; The Guardian reports on nearly 50,000. Hundreds of people have been killed, roads and communication networks are blocked. The UN warns that half of Yemen's population is facing acute food shortages.