Houthi rebels advance to within 80 km of Aden, closest since 2015

Houthi rebels in Yemen have advanced to within about 80 km of the interim capital Aden, the closest point since 2015, according to military sources. The advance has displaced over 100,000 people and prompted the US to order non-essential staff out of Saudi Arabia.

The Houthi rebels in Yemen have recorded significant military progress in the south of the country, and are now about 80 km from the city of Aden, according to a Reuters news agency report based on four military sources. The advance occurred in the southern Lahij governorate, an area whose residents are traditionally considered opponents of the militia. This is the closest point the Houthis have reached to Aden since 2015, when they captured the city for a short period until they were repelled with the help of the Saudi-led coalition. Aden serves as the temporary capital of Yemen and the seat of the Saudi-backed government. Over the past weekend, the US State Department ordered non-essential staff and their families to leave Saudi Arabia due to security threats and Houthi attacks on targets in the kingdom.