Iran-aligned Houthi forces have advanced to within 80 kilometers of Aden on November 2, 2026, marking their closest push to the government's temporary capital since 2015. After seizing Al-Maqatirah district, the Houthis forced government troops toward Tur al-Bahah, threatening key supply routes to besieged Taiz and positions overlooking the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The offensive shatters a 2022 UN truce and opens a dangerous new front linked to wider US-Israeli tensions with Iran.
Houthi advance in Al-Maqatirah district
- ▪Clashes between Houthi forces and Yemeni government troops occurred on November 2, 2026 at a military camp near Tur al-Bahah district, located 50 kilometers from Lahj and 80 kilometers from Aden
- ▪Houthi official Hamid Rizq posted a video on social media depicting Houthi fighters entering Souq al-Rabouh in Yemen's Maqatirah district
- ▪Houthi fighters captured the entire Al-Maqatirah district after launching an assault on government positions three days ago, forcing government troops to retreat
- ▪Iran-aligned Houthi forces advanced to within 80 kilometers (50 miles) of Aden, the temporary capital of Yemen's internationally recognized government, on November 2, 2026
Threat to Taiz and supply routes
- ▪The Houthi siege of Taiz since early October 2026 has displaced over 100,000 residents and created severe shortages of food, fuel, and medicine
- ▪The Houthi capture of Al-Maqatirah district threatens the last remaining main highway linking Aden with the encircled city of Taiz, Yemen's third-largest city
Gains near the Bab el-mandeb Strait
- ▪The Houthi territorial gains in Al-Maqatirah district on November 2, 2026 allow Houthi forces to potentially outflank Yemeni government troops along the mountain range overlooking the Bab el-Mandeb Strait
- ▪In September 2026, Houthi forces seized coastal territory along the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital maritime corridor for international shipping and Saudi oil exports to Asia
Recent Houthi missile attacks
- ▪Houthi forces struck Aden airport on October 28, 2026 after issuing an evacuation warning, following a prior strike on the presidential palace in Aden in October 2026
- ▪A Houthi missile reportedly struck a house in the southwestern Yemeni city of Taiz on October 21, 2026
Broader regional escalation
- ▪The Saudi-led coalition intensified airstrikes against Houthi positions in Yemen following an increase in Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia
- ▪The Houthi offensive near Aden on November 2, 2026 opens a new front in a broader U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, drawing Saudi Arabia and Houthi forces deeper into regional conflict
Breakthrough compared to past years
- ▪The November 2, 2026 Houthi offensive near Aden brings Houthi fighters closer to Aden than at any point since 2015, when they briefly entered the city before being expelled
- ▪The 2026 Houthi offensive shattered a 2022 UN-brokered truce that had previously halted major offensive operations in Yemen
Historical context of the conflict
- ▪The conflict in Yemen began in 2014 when Houthi insurgents ousted the internationally recognized Yemeni government from the capital city of Sanaa
- ▪Aden has served as the temporary capital and primary operational stronghold for Yemen's internationally recognized government since 2015
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