The Houthis' rapid advance on Yemen's western coast has opened a new front in the Middle East war that began with the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran in February. An immediate ceasefire in Yemen is now an urgent priority to prevent hostilities from spiraling and drawing more countries into the conflict.
Closing the New War Front in Yemen | International Crisis Group
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!Internally displaced (IDP) Yemenis who fled their homes due to renewed clashes between Yemen's Saudi-backed government forces and the country's Houthi rebels drive to the safety of al-Kadah in the Taiz Governorate, southwestern Yemen on September 6, 2026.
Internally displaced (IDP) Yemenis who fled their homes due to renewed clashes between Yemen's Saudi-backed government forces and the country's Houthi rebels drive to the safety of al-Kadah in the Taiz Governorate, southwestern Yemen on September 6, 2026. Ahmad Al-Basha / AFP
**Statement** / Middle East & North Africa 18 September 2026 **9 minutes**
Closing the New War Front in Yemen
*The Houthis’ rapid advance on the western Yemeni coast has opened a new front in the Middle East war that began with February’s U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran. A truce in Yemen is an urgent priority, so that hostilities do not spiral, drawing in more countries.*
In mid-September, Houthi rebels charged down Yemen’s western coast, seizing strategic territory from government-aligned forces and turning the country into an active front in the Middle East confrontation pitting the U.S. and Israel against Iran. Their rapid advance has also brought Bab al-Mandab, the str