September 18 - October 5: Indiscriminate attacks continue, coalition advances in east and south

With peace talks still stalled, Yemen saw some of the heaviest indiscriminate airstrikes of the war over the past two weeks, in addition to ground fighting in the central parts of Yemen and near the Bab al-Mandab. Since mid-September, more than 300 people have reportedly been killed by Saudi-led airstrikes in a number of cities and towns. Indiscriminate shelling by pro-Houthi/Saleh forces, particularly in the city of Taʻiz, has also killed dozens of civilians in recent weeks. A UNOCHA-funded report found that “more civilian deaths and injuries from explosive weapons were recorded in Yemen during the first seven months of 2105 than in any other country in the world.” According to that report, at least 86% of those killed by bombs and other explosives in Yemen’s war have been civilians.

In the capital, Sanʻa, at least 90 people were killed in less than a week (September 18-23), including an entire family of 10 in the UNESCO-listed Old City of Sanʻa and another whole family of 11 members in a neighborhood to the north of the capital.

Meanwhile, on September 20, over 70 people were killed while visiting a local market in Munabbeh village of Saʻdah Governorate—just three days prior the ʻEid al-Adha Islamic holiday.

On September 27, an Apache helicopter killed at least 30 people in the northwestern village Bani Zayla’ of Hajjah Governorate, near the border with Saudi Arabia. On the next day, two airstrikes hit a wedding party in the southwestern village of Wahijah near the Red Sea coastal town Mokha, in Taʻiz Governorate. As many as 135 people, mostly women and children, were reportedly killed.

The wedding aerial attack, the deadliest single incident since the start of the Saudi-led air campaign, has drawn strong condemnations and resentful calls worldwide. On that day, UN chief Ban Ki-moon unusually criticized this Saudi campaign in a public statement, and called for an end to the bombings. The Netherlands’ UN mission also drafted a Human Rights Council resolution that called for an impartial, UN-led investigation into human rights and international law violations in ‪‎Yemen.

But while the Saudis were facing international pressure, the Netherlands eventually withdrew the draft. Instead, the Netherlands and other western states backed a resolution penned by Saudi Arabia and the Hadi regime, which made no mention of coalition airstrikes, and left the job of investigating human rights and law violations in the hands of the Hadi regime.

On September 22, Hadi returned to Aden after six months in exile in Riyadh. On September 26, he addressed the United Nations at the 67th UN General Assembly in New York City. From there, Hadi returned to Riyadh on Saturday October 3, not Aden as it was expected.

On Thursday, October 1, the Saudi-led coalition forces reportedly took control of the strategic strait of Bab al-Mandab on the Red Sea. Prime Minister and Vice President Khaled Bahah, who reportedly paid a brief visit to a camp near Bab al-Mandab, said the current operations "will push to retake Mokha and al-Hudaydah," both on the Red Sea, and then the "whole coastline up to the border with Saudi Arabia." The coalition also announced that it will start an operation next Thursday morning to liberate Taʻiz.

The seizure of Bab al-Mandab strait came in as Hadi-allied forces and resistance fighters from the southern port city of Aden were mobilizing in the al-Subbayha area of southern Governorate Lahj, some 70 km on the road to the central city of Taʻiz.

Meanwhile, coalition forces along with local tribal fighters have gained more positions in Marib and are closing in on the northwestern district of Sirwah, which is seen as the key area leading to the capital. While the pro-Houthi forces seem to have lost positions in the interior fronts, they have gained ground in the neighboring Saudi cities across the borderline. They claim to have captured military bases and destroyed several army installations, in addition to holding tens of Saudi soldiers as prisoners.

September 8-17: Marib offensive heats up, PM returns to Aden

Following the breakdown of UN-backed talks in the Omani capital, Muscat, the envoy to Yemen has urged the warring parties to return to the table to end the six-month conflict. Exiled President Hadi and his government in Riyadh announced Sunday that they will not participate in the upcoming UN peace talks, although the UN Envoy Ould Sheikh Ahmed earlier welcomed the warring parties’ readiness.  

In a statement, Ahmed said that the Houthi and GPC representatives “have shown a great degree of flexibility” during the recent talks held for weeks in Muscat.

Hadi’s announcement came one day after the Saudi-led coalition’s own forces have mounted a fresh offensive in the oil-rich province of Marib, along with trained local tribal fighters.

It’s been five days now since the launch of Marib Offensive, although clashes have reportedly been taking place in the southeastern areas of Marib since last Tuesday, when the Hadi-allied forces along with dozens of armored vehicles were sent from the eastern area of Safer to the headquarters of the 3^rd Military Region and an allied military base nearby.

The southern and western areas have seen attack-and-retreat fighting, with troops from the coalition forces trying to advance eastward to al-Jufaina and al-Fow areas, while others are trying to regain Dhat al-Ra’, where the tribal encampments of both Nakhla and al-Suahil are held by the pro-Houthi forces.  Pro-Houthi forces have been trying to fend off any advancement of their opponents, reportedly using BM-22 rocket launchers against coalition armored vehicles. They claim to have destroyed more than 20 armored vehicles in addition to killing and arresting several troops from the coalition forces.

The UAE government has officially announced that one Emirati soldier was killed in Marib fighting, days after it said that the death toll of its soldiers, who killed by the ballistic missile attack on September 4 in Marib had risen to 52 soldiers. While Qatar’s government has not yet commented officially, Houthi-affiliated media claim that a senior Qatari officer was killed.

The coalition’s fighter jets and Apache helicopters were providing air support/cover in Marib fighting and targeted any suspected movement by the pro-Houthi forces in areas located on the borderlines with Shabwa, al-Baydha and al-Jawf provinces. The warplanes also destroyed the road connecting Marib to the capital, San’a, after it was reportedly designated (by the Popular Resistance) as a military target.

The fighter jets also hit residential areas in several cities and towns, killing dozens of civilians, mostly children and women. On Tuesday alone, at least 10 cities were hit by airstrikes; over a hundred civilians were reportedly killed and wounded. The six-month war has killed more than 4,500 Yemenis and brought the country to the brink of famine.

Across the Saudi border, pro-Houthi units have killed several Saudi soldiers and captured military bases in Najran, Jaizan and Aseer cities. The Saudi government announced that five soldiers were killed in Najran.

Meanwhile, Vice President and Prime Minister Khaled Bahah arrived in Aden along with seven ministers from the government in exile. This second appearance since his first brief visit on the first of August comes as a step toward restoring a government after months of working from exile Riyadh. "Khaled Bahah and the ministers who arrived with him are in Aden to stay permanently," said exiled government spokesman Rajeh Badi.

September 1–7: Airstrikes intensify after Marib missile attack

The UN-backed talks in the Omani capital, Muscat, have failed to bring Yemen’s warring parties any closer to an agreement; pro-Houthi/Saleh units have launched another short-range ballistic missile, killing dozens of Saudi, Emirati, and Bahraini troops in Marib, while other units continued to attack Saudi military installations across the border; the coalition has again intensified its airstrikes on Sanʻa and other cities in what has been seen as retaliation for the ballistic missile attack; two brigades of soldiers from Saudi-led coalition have been deployed in Aden; Qatari troops have reportedly joined the battle; fighting in the central governorates of Taʻiz, Ibb, and al-Baydha has been raging on since early last week. Last week, Yemeni political representatives, involved in weeks-long negotiations in Muscat, heatedly debated the seven-point proposal on the table. The Houthis and their allies put forth an initiative, seen as a concession and an alternative to the seven-point proposal, which requires them to implement UNSC resolution 2216 immediately. The initiative includes a number of points, the most important of which is the return of the exiled government to Sanʻa for 90 days. As a result, the negotiations have hit a stumbling block once again. On Monday, September 7, the Houthi and GPC delegates returned to Sanʻa, while reports indicate that disputes among members of the exiled government have started to appear on the surface.

On Friday, another short-range ballistic missile was fired by pro-Houthi/Saleh units toward a camp, some 25 km from Marib city, where coalition forces were deployed as a prelude to an assault on Sanʻa via Marib. The missile attack killed 45 Emirati soldiers, 10 Saudis, and five Bahrainis, in addition to tribal fighters allied with the coalition. The attack came two days after the Chief of Staff and the Interior Minister of the exiled government came to Safer area of Marib. On the day of the attack, the Chief of Staff was reportedly sacked.

The Saudi-led coalition has intensified the aerial bombardment on Sanʻa and other cities, killing scores of civilians. At least 10 cities and towns have been hit over the past week. Since Friday, at least 27 were reportedly killed in Sanʻa alone.

The coalition has deployed 8,000 additional troops in the southern port city of Aden. A brigade including 5,000 Southern Resistance fighters has been reportedly dissolved, after mutiny erupted and the commander was seriously injured. One thousand Qatari troops have also been sent to Yemen, while Sudanese forces are reportedly being prepared to be sent as well.

August 25–31: Fighting rages on in Hudaydah, Ta‘iz, Marib, and Shabwah

As another month of war comes to a close, a peaceful resolution to Yemen’s conflict is no closer. UN-backed talks in the Omani capital, Muscat, seem to be doomed to failure; a Scud missile, reportedly fired from Yemen’s capital towards the Saudi city of Jaizan, was seen as a sign of determination and a message of defiance from the Houth-Saleh alliance; a fresh battle is taking shape in al-Hudaydah; Houthis and their allies have regained more positions in Taʻiz; troops from the Saudi-led coalition, deployed recently in Marib, have already advanced on Shabwah and will return to the neighboring governorates of Marib and al-Jawf ahead of the expected Sanʻa battle, while a brigade involving at least 5000 troops from the Southern Popular Resistance in Aden city has been formed to take charge of the city’s security. At least eight cities have been hit by the airstrikes over the past week, where scores of civilians have reportedly been killed, while Houthi-Saleh units continued to intensify their cross-border attacks on Saudi army installations. The UN special envoy, currently based in Muscat, has been pushing for a political settlement since early last week, but the exiled government in Riyadh is sticking to its previous demand that the Houthis withdraw from occupied cities and hand over their arms prior to any further negotiations. The Houthis, however, warned they would carry out “a disastrous response” if the Muscat talks failed. On Wednesday, a Scud missile was fired from Sanʻa, targeting a power plant in the Saudi city of Jaizan.

In the western coastal governorate of al-Hudaydah, clashes erupted in the southern town of al-Durayhimi between tribal fighters from the Zaraniq tribe and Houthis as they were trying to send reinforcement to Taʻiz. Houthi forces seem poised to take control of the road to Taʻiz, where they have also retaken some western districts.

In the southeastern province of Shabwah, Apache helicopters were seen supporting the Saudi-led coalition forces that advanced to liberate the area late on Friday. Dozens of Houthis were reportedly killed. But in the neighboring governorate of Marib, fighting escalated over the weekend, with the Houthis gaining ground after reportedly using rockets and missiles in the battle.

August 18–24: Conflict escalates in al-Hudaydah, Ta‘iz, and Marib

The last week has seen some of the most brutal days of war in the poorest of the Arab states. Despite the UN and aid agencies warnings of eminent famine, Yemen’s conflict and associated humanitarian disaster are no closer to resolution. The Saudi-led airstrikes have been intensified, killing dozens of civilians; fighting has returned to areas of the country the coalition had claimed to have “liberated”; more coalition forces were deployed; al-Qaeda carried out brazen attacks in southern Yemen, while the Islamic State carried its first attack in the east; cross-border attacks by pro-Houthi/Saleh units have escalated as well. The UN-backed political talks in Oman seemed to have come to a standstill on Friday. But two days later, the UN Envoy resumed the talks after he met the exiled president in Riyadh, who tendered on Thursday a proposal to the UNSC chief for a conditional 15-day ceasefire. On the other hand, the head of the Houthi “Revolutionary Committee” sent a letter on Saturday, urging the UNSC to stop the Saudi-led war against Yemen, where the humanitarian situation has become more catastrophic.

UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Stephen O’Brien said Wednesday that the scale of human suffering in Yemen was “almost incomprehensible,” with a “shocking” four out of five Yemenis requiring humanitarian assistance and nearly 1.5 million people internally displaced. For its part, WFP estimates that the number of food insecure people in Yemen is now close to 13 million, including 6 million who are severely food insecure and in urgent need of external assistance; that is 20% of the country’s population.

Meanwhile, the Saudi airstrikes have escalated. In three consecutive days, coalition warplanes killed at least 80 civilians. On Tuesday, 21 educators were killed as they were in a meeting discussing the examinations process for schools. On Wednesday, at least 13 people were killed when four airstrikes hit a local market in al-Dhahi town to the north of al-Hudaydah. On the same day, the Hudaydah seaport was knocked out by at least eight airstrikes. On Thursday, 65 civilians were killed in Taʻiz.

Clashes raged on inTaʻiz and Abyan, as the coalition deployed ground troops. On Sunday, the coalition deployed thousands of troops with heavy armaments in the eastern province of Marib.

Across Yemen’s northern border, the pro-Houthi/Saleh units have intensively been shelling Saudi military bases in both cities of Najran and Jaizan. On Thursday, a ballistic short-range missile was fired against a naval base in Jaizan. The units have also pushed inland and killed a brigade commander in Jaizan.

Taking the advantage of months-long chaos, al-Qaeda in the south has reportedly seized areas in the port city of Aden [editor’s note: reports on this situation have been the subject of controversy. Here’s another take, as reported in the New York Times]. The Islamic State’s self-proclaimed group in Yemen claimed its responsibility for attacking a military post in the eastern province of Hadramout.

August 3–17: Resistance takes much of Taʻiz, coalition pushes inland

Fighting in the southern part of Yemen has expanded over the past two weeks, as Southern Resistance, Emirati, and coalition forces have advanced inland from Aden to drive Houthi/Saleh forces out of adjacent governorates. Locals in and around Aden have discovered thousands of landmines planted by the pro-Houthi/Saleh forces before they were driven out of the area. Coalition-trained Yemeni fighters, along with Saudi and Emirati soldiers, have pushed further into Abyan province after they captured the largest military base in al-Anad of Lahj province along with other bases nearby. Three Emirati soldiers were killed after their armored vehicle was hit by a landmine. Over 100 civilians were reportedly killed by landmines in the south. Demining teams are working quickly to clear the mines where possible.

With fighter jets and Apache helicopters providing air cover for battle tanks and other armored vehicles, the resistance and its allies launched the Abyan offensive to liberate the province. After four days of clashes, the coalition reported that it had entirely regained Abyan. The have already advanced on the neighboring province of Shabwa. According to some reports, however, Ansar al-Shariʻah-affiliated fighters led by Jalal Bilʻaydi, who commanded the AAS takeover of Abyan in 2012, entered and took control of Zinjibar as soon as Houthi/Saleh forces left the city.

President Hadi in Riyadh has issued a decree, appointing governors for the “liberated” governorates of Lahj and Abyan. On the other hand, the Houthi “Revolutionary Committee” in Sanʻa appointed deputy governors for a number of governorates.

Moreover, at least 11 cities were hit by the Saudi-led airstrikes during the last week. On Sunday, scores of people were reportedly killed in Ibb, Amran and Taʻiz.

Dragging on for the fifth month now, the war has so far claimed the lives of more than 4000 people, while the humanitarian and health situation is increasingly disastrous. ICRC President Peter Mauer arrived in the capital to assess the situation in Yemen. Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Mauer said that the months-long blockades imposed on all the country’s ports have led to “overwhelming catastrophic situations.”

Meanwhile, clashes in several cities including Taiz, Ibb, Marib and Dhalea cities have also intensified. Resistance fighters have gained ground, while dozens of pro-Houthi/Saleh forces were reportedly killed in the three fronts. On Sunday the 16^th, resistance forces in Taʻiz reported significant gains in that city.

Across the borderline, pro-Houthi/Saleh units have intensified their missile attacks over the past week, hitting several military bases in Najran and Jaizan cities. Backed by armed tribesmen, the units reportedly advanced on a base outside Najran, killing at least 16 soldiers. The Saudi army claimed to have successfully repelled this attack on Sunday.

Pro-Houthi tribal loyalists have been mobilized in several cities as a matter of supporting the so-called ‘strategic options’, to which the Houthi top leader has referred in his recent televised speech.

In Sanʻa, Houthis arrested several Islah-affiliated figures including women. Meanwhile, clashes in the northern district of Arhab have erupted between pro-Islah armed tribesmen and Houthi fighters, shortly after the security services were put on high alert in the capital. Three days later, IS group carried out a car bomb in the north of Sanʻa that resulted in no casualties.

Facing both fierce resistance and financial crisis, the Houthis sent delegates to the Omani capital, Muscat, to participate in the ongoing political talks with all Yemeni factions. However, the exiled Yemeni government in Riyadh has announced that an initiative shall be brokered in the upcoming days for resuming the long-stalled political process.

July 20–August 2: Another ceasefire fails

With intensified airstrikes, which have killed scores of civilians, along with relentless fighting over the southern port city of Aden, the situation in Yemen has escalated over the past two weeks in the face of continuing international calls for a ceasefire. On July 25, Saudi Arabia announced a unilateral humanitarian pause, scheduled to go into effect the following day, which Yemenis and international observers hoped would provide an opportunity for badly-needed aid to enter the country. This pause, however, was quickly broken by both Saudi-led airstrikes and ground combat, just two hours after it went into effect. Each side blamed the other for violating the respite, echoing the scenario seen on the first day of a previous humanitarian pause. Pro-Houthi/Saleh forces continued their attacks in Aden city, where they shelled the international airport and neighborhoods recently captured by the resistance. Likewise, Coalition airstrikes continued to pound the bases of those forces in Aden and elsewhere.

Just before announcing the planned ceasefire, Saudi planes bombed civilian residences in the Red Sea coast city of Mokha, killing at least 65 people in an attack that Human Rights Watch has called “an apparent war crime.”

In an attempt to “entirely liberate” Aden and advance into other cities, at least 3000 Coalition-trained Yemeni fighters have reportedly been deployed in Aden—one day after Vice President/PM Khaled Bahah briefly visited the city with six other ministers from the Hadi government in exile. The trip was seen as the first step toward restoring the government’s provisional capital. On the same day, President Hadi issued a decree appointing three new advisors. Hadi has also recently announced plans to unite all local resistance groups into the “national army,” a plan that will likely face resistance.

The leader of the Houthi Movement, ‘Abd al-Malik al-Houthi, made a televised speech on August 2, trying to justify his loss of Aden while continuing to defy the Saudi-led coalition.

Although Aden has been the epicenter of Yemen’s civil conflict, other areas including Lahj, Abyan, al-Baydha, Taʻiz and Marib have seen violent clashes between the pro-Houth/Saleh forces and the resistance fighters over the past week.

Missile attacks across the Saudi border have also continued. Pro-Houthi/Saleh units have recently fired tens of missiles at Najran and Jaizan cities, part of what they have described as “the strategic options.” A number of Saudi soldiers were reportedly killed and captured.

In the capital, Sanʻa, the self-proclaimed local chapter of the Islamic State (IS) has, for the first time, attacked a mosque frequented by members of the Isma’ili sect, commonly known as Bohrah, who are seen by some as supportive of Houthis. At least 10 people were killed and wounded.

July 14–20: Resistance consolidates gains in Aden

Editor's note: I'm filling in for Mohammed Ali Kalfood on this week's press review. Mohammed will return next week. Since launching a major counteroffensive against pro-Houthi/Saleh forces last week, resistance forces in Aden have swept down from the city's northern areas into the districts of Sirah/Crater, al-Ma'ala, and al-Tawahi. As of Monday evening, local sources report that the resistance has control of al-Tawahi--the last district held by Houthi/Saleh forces--and is conducting house-to-house searches for remaining enemy fighters. 

In retaliation for the loss of Aden, Houthi/Saleh forces outside the city limits have been shelling the neighborhood of Dar Sa'd since Sunday. According to Medicins Sans Frontieres, at least 100 people--mostly civilians, including women and children--have died in the bombardment, with hundreds more injured.

The transportation minister of Yemen's government in exile told press on Monday that a technical team from the UAE had arrived in Aden to repair the city's international airport. Right now San'a has the only functioning airport in the country, making it impossible for aid groups to bring supplies into the south by air.

On Thursday, a group of ministers from the exiled government of President Hadi arrived in Aden, escorted by Saudi security forces. The ministers reportedly met with resistance leaders. Following those meetings, President Hadi announced the appointment of Aden's new governor, former deputy governor Nayef al-Bakri, who recently has served as the head of a body representing several resistance groups.

On Sunday, a Saudi airstrike killed 24 civilians in Ibb, and set off secondary explosions that wounded many more.

The UN's refugee agency reported last week that more than 10,000 refugees have arrived in Yemen from east Africa since March. Smugglers are apparently telling refugees that the war in Yemen is over in order to profit from their transport. According to UNHCR, the total number of Yemenis displaced inside the country or seeking refuge abroad is now 1,267,590.

July 7-15: Ceasefire fails, resistance gains ground in Aden

Despite the “humanitarian pause” announced last week by UN Special Envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, Saudi-led airstrikes and ground combat continued in several parts of Yemen last week. Pro-Houthi/Saleh units continued to carry out cross-border attacks on Saudi military bases. UN officials and international aid organizations reported that 21.1 million people urgently need humanitarian relief. On Thursday, the UN envoy to Yemen stated that parties had agreed on a weeklong humanitarian pause, which would come into effect on Friday at midnight. But Saudi Arabia and its allies continued their aerial attacks, claiming that they had not received instructions to stop from the Hadi government, directly contradicting the UN envoy’s statement.

At least 10 cities across the country have been hit over the past week by airstrikes targeting pro-Houthi/Saleh bases in densely populated areas. Over 20 people were killed in Sanʻa in the first two days of the unobserved truce.

Grain mills and water tanks in Aden were pounded by airstrikes, while Houthi/Saleh fighters continued to shell Aden’s oil refinery and the adjacent port. The outpatient clinics of the military hospital in Sanʻa and the Haradh Public Hospital in Hajjah were both knocked out. The national cement factory was struck in Amran. The Health Ministry in Sanʻa reported that “medical services have totally stopped in 11 provinces.”

Meanwhile, fighting on the ground between Houthi/Saleh forces and local resistance groups raged on in Aden, Lahj, al-Dhaliʻ, Taʻiz, Marib, and al-Jawf.

Saudi planes also continued to provide air cover for resistance fighters in those six areas, despite an allegedly botched airstrike on a military base in Hadramout, which killed over 50 soldiers believed to be loyal to Hadi. Resistance fighters in Aden regained control of several areas on Tuesday, including the international airport. This victory has served as a morale boost for the wider resistance. President Hadi’s representatives announced that the exiled president was personally overseeing the Aden counteroffensive, dubbed Operation Golden Arrow. Disputing more credible accounts, the Houthi-controlled state press agency reported on Wednesday that Houthi/Saleh forces had defeated the resistance and were in control of al-Mansurah district.

On the Yemen-Saudi borders, Houthi/Saleh units have continued to launch missile attacks on military bases outside Najran and Jaizan cities. On several occasions, these units have also made forays across the borders to these Saudi bases.

June 30–July 6: UN envoy pushes for humanitarian pause, civilian toll rises

Following last month’s failed peace talks in Geneva, the past week started with renewed efforts by UN special envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed to achieve a humanitarian pause during the holy month of Ramadan. Last week the envoy met with the exiled government in the Saudi capital Riyadh, where a seven-point proposal was tendered; on Sunday Ahmed arrived in Sanʻa to discuss the proposal with Houthi and GPC leaders. But a Scud missile, which was fired late on Tuesday night at a Saudi airbase outside Riyadh, added new tension to the process of the political negations. Saudi forces have traded missile attacks across the border with Houthi-Saleh units, which have also carried out hit-and-run assaults on Saudi military sites outside Jaizan and Najran cities near the boundary. The Houthi leadership reportedly refused the exiled government’s first cease-fire proposal, which called for the deployment of regional observers.

Toward the end of the week, the UN—along with both US State Department and EU officials—attempted to put pressure on Saudi Arabia to reach a deal. But Saudi airstrikes intensified in several cities, where dozens of civilians have been killed, a move that was seen as a Saudi response to the UN-backed efforts. The capital Sanʻa has since been hit by heavier bombardment, after a lull of nearly five days. On Monday, a Saudi airstrike reportedly hit a public market in Lahj, just north of Aden, killing 45 civilians and injuring dozens more.

Over the weekend, Houthi delegates in the Omani capital, Muscat, met with the UN envoy; “a humanitarian pause was discussed,” according to press accounts. On Sunday, the Houthi supporters in Sanʻa staged a mass rally, condemning “the Saudi aggression and the UN’s careless position on the humanitarian situation,” hours after Special Envoy Ahmed arrived at the city’s international airport.

While the Houthis mull over forming a new government or a presidential council, Saleh’s GPC party and the Yemeni Socialist Party have both refused such a move.

June 23-29: No progress toward peace; Aden refinery destroyed

The Saudi-led aerial offensive and the civil conflict on the ground continue into a fourth month now. Over 2800 Yemenis have been killed and thousands of others injured, while over one million have been internally displaced.  Saudi Arabia’s stated goals haven’t yet been achieved: the pro-Houthi/Saleh forces keep on advancing, while President Hadi and his government are still in exile. The humanitarian situation has become more dire than ever: 8.6 million Yemenis need urgent medical help; 21.1 million need some form of humanitarian assistance, while half of Yemen’s population is food insecure.

Moreover, the health system has been virtually paralyzed, and Dengue fever on—top of Malaria—has rapidly spread, particularly in the coastal areas. In addition to a score of dengue fever cases registered in the port city of Mukalla in Hadramout province, 85 cases have been registered in the historical town of Hajarayn alone over the past week.

Last Monday, after the collapse of the Geneva talks, the Houthi-Saleh delegation headed to Oman, where they reportedly held talks with Southern Movement leaders. Flying back to Sanʻa Friday, the airplane carrying the delegates was prevented from landing in the Sana’a International Airport. After finally landing on Saturday, a delegate stated that the Houthis are mulling over the prospect of forming a partnership government, and that they have no plans to attend additional peace talks.

The Saudi-led airstrikes have been hitting several cities since the beginning of Ramadan, mainly where ground fighting is taking place, in Marib, al-Jawf, Aden, Taʻiz, Lahj, al-Baydha, and Shabwah. Other cities, including Hajjah, al-Hudaydah, and Raima were also hit by airstrikes over the past weeks.

Two historical sites in both Raima and Hajjah were struck, bringing to 25 the number of such sites that have been targeted by Saudi warplanes. In the southern city of Aden, Houthi fighters shelled the only oil refinery, destroying much of the city’s fuel reserves and releasing a massive cloud of oil smoke over residential areas.

Continuing their cross-border missile attacks, the pro-Houthi/Saleh fighters have targeted military sites near Jaizan city. Three Saudi soldiers along with an Emirati were reportedly killed.

June 16-22: Geneva talks fail, IS kills civilians in Sanʻa

News coverage over the past week has been dominated by the UN-sponsored talks in Geneva, which yielded no tangible results. Bombings attributed to local affiliates of the Islamic State have also drawn the attention. The failure of Geneva talks, which wrapped up on Friday, seemed to be well predicted in the local press coverage. On Tuesday, UN Special Envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed opened the preliminary consultations with the conflicting parties after the Houthi-led delegates from Sanʻa were finally able to arrive in Geneva. But the delegates from Riyadh (representing the Hadi regime in exile) and Sanʻa refused to meet in one place; the talks were conducted with the two groups in separate rooms. In the end, mediators failed to come up with the hoped-for seven-point statement, which would have included a ceasefire during the holy month of Ramadan.

Meanwhile, the Saudi-led airstrikes continued to hit several cities across the country as the pro-Houthi/Saleh forces continued to advance in the adjacent governorates of Marib and al-Jawf.

On Saturday, hours after the Geneva talks came to an end, airstrikes hit the runways of Sanʻa International Airport and al-Dailami Airbase in the capital, which was seen as a way of preventing the Houthi-led delegates from returning to Sanʻa. On Sunday, Sirah Fortress in Aden and the Great Dam of Marib were both hit by Saudi airstrikes.

Although the airstrikes were providing air cover for the so-called “popular resistance” fighters over the past week, the pro-Houthi/Saleh forces claimed to have captured three tribal encampments—Nakhla, al-Suhail, and Labant—out of five spread alongside the capital city of the oil-rich province of Marib. Moreover, clashes continued to rage in the southern cities of Aden, al-Dhaliʻ and Lahj as well as the central cities of Taʻiz and al-Baydha.

Meanwhile, the self-proclaimed Sanʻa-based branch of the Islamic State has resurfaced, having been quiet since its devestating March attack on mosques frequented by Houthi loyalists (among others). On the eve of Ramadan (Wednesday), four car bombs simultaneously targeted two Sanʻa mosques, the Houthi Political Bureau, and the house of a leading member of Ansar Allah. On Saturday, the same group allegedly carried out another car bomb attack on a mosque in the Old City of Sanʻa, killing at least two people.

June 9–15: Geneva talks start without Houthis; Aden refinery shelled; airstrikes continue

As Yemen’s war continues, media coverage over the last week focused on UN-sponsored negotiations, originally set to begin on Sunday. The three-day talks in Geneva, billed as “preliminary inclusive consultations,” which aim at ending the months-long war in Yemen, began on Monday, June 15, following week-long quibbles over the representation and the mechanism for talks. But the talks were inaugurated with only delegates of the exiled government in Riyadh in attendance, while the Yemeni delegates from Sanʻa—representing the Houthi movement and its allies—were stranded in Djibouti for nearly 24 hours. The talks were supposed to start Sunday, but were postponed after the delegates did not board the UN airplane at the Sanʻa International Airport on Friday.

Although the talks between the conflicting political parties were delayed, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has already called for an immediate two-week ceasefire during the holy month of Ramadan, which is expected to begin on Thursday.

Over the past week, Saudi warplanes conducted airstrikes in at least 12 cities including the capital, Sanʻa, where both residential areas and pro-Houthi/Saleh figures were targeted.

On Friday, a neighborhood in the Old City of Sanʻa—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—was hit by airstrikes, flatting at least five houses and killing seven civilians. On Saturday, the home of former special forces commander Yahyah Mohammed Abdullah Saleh was hit along with other nearby houses of his relatives. Strikes continued past the official start of the Geneva talks; Sanʻa was reportedly struck by several airstrikes on Monday.

In cities where the civil conflict is intensifying, the Saudi-led airstrikes continue to provide air cover for the so-called “Popular Resistance.”

In the eastern city of Marib, two main tribal encampments, Nakhla and Suhail, were captured by the pro-Houthi/Saleh forces. In the neighboring Jawf province, these forces also captured the provincial city, Hazm, after weeks of heavy clashes. In southern city of Aden, the oil refinery was forced to halt operations, while fierce clashes took place in Maʻalla and Buraiqah areas. The central city of Taʻiz has seen the fiercest clashes in two months as mortar and tank shells have reportedly hit several downtown residential areas.

June 3-8: IDP count passes 1 million; Houthi missiles target KSA; Geneva talks confirmed

It’s been nearly two months and a half (74 days as of Monday, June 8) since the Saudi-led aerial offensive was launched to achieve the stated goals: the Houthis’ advancement has not yet been halted, nor has been restored to power the exiled government in Riyadh. Over the past week, both pro-Houthi fighters and pro-Saleh forces intensified their cross-border attacks, while the Saudi airstrikes continued to pound their bases and target their leading members in several cities, including the capital, Sanʻa.

On Friday, the Republican Guards, loyal to the former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, failed to advance on the Saudi city of Jaizan, as Houthi fighters continued to attack the neighboring areas. On Saturday, pro-Houthi fighters fired a Scud missile targeting the Khamis Mushait airbase inside Saudi Arabia, but the Saudi Air Defense Forces intercepted the missile. Using such a ballistic missile in the battle, the Houthi spokesperson said, is like a “quantum leap” and a “warning message.”

As June 14 was finally set for the Geneva talks, the aerial and cross-border attacks intensified, and both sides have reinforced their positions. Such escalation of fighting is likely to undermine the UN-backed efforts, although the political parties, including the Houthis, have agreed to participate in the upcoming Geneva talks without preconditions. Meanwhile, Houthi delegates flew to the Russian capital, Moscow, for meetings with Kremlin officials, which follow their weeks-long talks with American and Iranian officials in the Omani capital, Muscat.

On the ground, combat continues to flare up largely in Aden, Taʻiz, Marib and al-Dhaliʻ cities as Saudi airstrikes serve as air cover for the so-called “popular resistance.”

As of May 31, over 2200 Yemenis had been killed across the country, half of them civilians, and 10,000 injured, while nearly 10,000 others have fled to Djibouti as refuges. The number of the IDPs has amounted to more than one million people; most of them are forced to live in public spaces and unhealthy conditions.

May 27-June 2: Despite continuing negotiations, no end to fighting in sight

The last week’s press coverage has chiefly focused on the continuous Saudi-led air war and the civil conflict on the ground, along with the cross-border attacks by pro-Houthi fighters. Also, the political talks in Oman and the UN-backed efforts in both Sanʻa and Riyadh have grabbed several headlines. The Saudi air war is now in its third month, and seems to be no closer to its stated goals of forcing a Houthi retreat and returning Abdu Rabu Mansur Hadi to power. Nearly 2000 people have so far been killed by this aerial war and the civil conflict, while 8,000 more have been injured. At least 10,000 Yemenis have sought refuge in Djibouti.

Aid agencies, which couldn’t bring in sufficient supplies during the first “humanitarian pause,” continue to voice their serious concerns over the catastrophic health situation. At least 158 health facilities have been shut down due to the war, while several others were struck by Saudi warplanes. Nearly 8.6 million people urgently need medical care, and local experts say roughly 13 million Yemenis urgently need aid of some kind. Yemen’s patrimony is also reportedly being ravaged by the airstrikes, including Dhamar’s historical museum and the Marib Dam.

Clashes between the pro-Saleh/pro-Houhti forces and their various opponents have continued to intensify in four Yemeni cities: Aden Taʻiz, Marib and Shabwa.

In the eastern Marib, more than a dozen Houthi/Saleh fighters were killed in Sirwah district and seven civilians were reportedly killed in the fighting. In Aden, clashes intensified in several districts including Khor Maksar, near the airport. In the central city of Taʻiz, the fighting downtown and the Saudi airstrikes have killed civilians after the pro-Houthi/Saleh forces captured a strategic mountain, home to the ancient and famous al-Qahirah Fortress. In the southeastern Shabwah Governorate, the Houthi/Saleh forces have advanced in the city and gained new areas. On the borders with Saudi Arabia, pro-Houthi fighters hit Najran’s airport along with military bases there and in Jaizan city as well. Their TV Channel, al-Masirah, aired footage of new, locally-produced missiles called “Earthquake.”

As the UN-sponsored conference in Geneva was postponed indefinitely, the Houthi delegates continued their talks in Oman over the past week, which are believed to involve US and Iranian officials. The delegates were reported to have reached an initial agreement to end the war in Yemen. But the exiled government in Riyadh rejected such an agreement, saying that “such talks will not make stability possible in Yemen.” The rival political parties seemed to have agreed on holding the Geneva conference in two weeks, following the UN envoy’s meeting on Monday with the exiled government in Riyadh – three days after he visited Sanʻa for the second time.

May 19-26: UN talks postponed, reversal in al-Dhali', clashes along the border

The planned UN-sponsored peace conference on Yemen has dominated the local press coverage over the past week, along with the Saudi-led campaign and civil conflict in several of Yemen’s main cities. An escalation in artillery fire on the border with Saudi Arabia is also drawing attention. Early last week, after the three-day Riyadh conference was wrapped up, attention turned to the UN-sponsored peace effort, with talks slated to take place in Geneva on May 28. But by the end of the week, this conference was postponed indefinitely, days after President Abdu Rabbu Mansur Hadi—currently in exile Riyadh along with his government—met with the UN Envoy. Meanwhile, Hadi said that he will engage in Geneva talks only if the most recent UN Security Council Resolution is implemented, which requires the Houthis to hand over their arms and withdraw from the cities they took over. Earlier, the Houthi Movement’s leader, ‘Abd al-Malik al-Houthi, signaled in a televised speech his willingness to participate in the UN-sponsored conference.

But on Saturday, a group of Houthi delegates flew to Oman, “to discuss the Yemeni situation and get to know the Omani position.”

The airstrikes over the past week have heavily pounded pro-Houthi/Saleh military bases in several main cities, chiefly the capital, Sanʻa, where the explosions of weapons depots have become common scenes. Meanwhile, clashes between pro-Houthi/Saleh forces and their opponents were reported to have been dramatically intensified in at least ten areas, including Aden, Taʻiz, Marib, al-Jawf, Shabwah, al-Dhaliʻ, Abyan, and Lahj. The “popular resistance” fighters (i.e., anti-Houthi/Saleh forces) were reported to have gained control of some areas.

In the southern city of al-Dhaliʻ, local resistance regained control after two months of sporadic clashes against pro-Houthi/Saleh forces [editor’s note: the 33^rd Armored Brigade, loyal to former president Saleh, has been waging a brutal campaign of repression and collective punishment against the population of al-Dhaliʻ since long before the start of this war. Although the international press reported the liberation of the town by “pro-Hadi fighters,” the local resistance is in fact aligned with the Southern independence movement, and has no allegiance whatsoever to Hadi. In fact, President Hadi infamously washed his hands of the conflict in al-Dhaliʻ last year, telling reporters that he had no influence over the 33rd Brigade and declining to intervene against it]. In the eastern province of Marib, local fighters took over a strategic mountain in western district of Sirwah after fierce clashes.

On the border with Saudi Arabia, pro-Houthi fighters have reportedly been trading artillery fire with Saudi troops over the past week. The Houthi-affiliated TV channel, al-Masirah, has broadcast several videos of clashes in the area. The Khamais Mushayt airbase in southern Saudi Arabia was reportedly hit by a Scud missile. On Tuesday, al-Masirah aired alleged footage of homemade missiles called “Piercing Stars” with target ranges of 45km / 75km and warheads of 50kgs / 75kgs.

May 10-18: Humanitarian Pause changes little on the ground

During the past week, the five-day “humanitarian pause”—a temporary ceasefire agreed to by Saudi Arabia and the Houthi leadership—dominated local press coverage, while sporadic clashes were reportedly taking place in central and southern Yemen. Two days before the ceasefire took effect on May 12, the Houthi Political Bureau agreed to it, as it “welcomed any positive and serious step.”

During the ceasefire, UN agencies released new statistics on casualties resulting from the aerial bombardment campaign and ground fighting, reporting that more than 1800 people have been killed since March, and more than 500,000 others displaced.

The explosion of a weapons depot to the east of the capital, which sent munitions flying miles away, has reportedly killed 90 people.

In the town of Zabid, not far from the western port city of al-Hudaydah, at least 30 people were killed when a local market was hit by two airstrikes.

In Abs District of Hajjah Governorate, at least 40 people including more than a dozen inmates were killed in a prison at the District Security Building, after it was struck by airstrikes.

Despite this ceasefire, clashes reportedly continued in the southern port city of Aden, the central city of Taʻiz, and the eastern city of Marib, as well as the southern city of al-Dhaliʻ.

Although aid organizations were able to fly in some humanitarian supplies during the “pause”—the first of its kind in 47 days of the Saudi-led aerial campaign—the  aid delivered is a small fraction of what is now required.

The new UN envoy to Yemen, visited Sanʻa for the first time over the last week, and called on the Saudis to extend the humanitarian pause. There has been no official reply to his call. The Houthi-appointed army spokesperson, Sharaf Luqman, welcomed the UN envoy’s call.

Just hours after the ceasefire came to an end, the airstrikes resumed in Aden, hitting several areas, including the airport.

A three-day conference was held in Riyadh, bringing together leaders of several Yemeni factions in opposition to the Houthi-Saleh forces. The conference ended with pledges of cooperation against the groups’ common enemies. Preliminary UN-led peace negotiations between the Houthis, the Hadi government in exile, and other factions is scheduled for May 28 in Geneva.

May 1-9: KSA bombs Sa'dah as negotiations stagger on

During the last week, the unceasing war and the dire humanitarian situation in Yemen have continued to dominate the local press coverage. Earlier in the week the Saudi-led Arab coalition continued the second phase of its aerial bombardment in what was dubbed Operation Restoration of Hope. On Friday, Saudi Arabia declared all of Saʻdah Governorate—the heartland of the Houthi movement—a “a military target” in retaliation for Houthi attacks on Najran, across the Saudi border. Saʻdah was shelled heavily, and its telecommunications center, which was among several targets in the province, was destroyed.

Earlier in the same province, airstrikes hit residential areas, killing at least 34 people and wounding a dozen others. While the Saudis continue to bomb the Houthis in Saʻdah, Saudi officials also announced their intent to declare a humanitarian ceasefire on May 12, pending the agreement of the Houthi-Saleh forces.

Last Saturday it was reported that a meeting will be held in Riyadh on May 15, which will include all Yemeni political factions excluding the Houthis. On Thursday, the newly appointed UN envoy, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, arrived in Riyadh to resume political efforts as established by the GCC Initiative and the NDC outcomes.

It’s been more than six weeks now since the Saudi-led aerial campaign was launched, during which civil conflict has intensified in several areas across the country. More than 1,400 people have been killed so far and thousands of others injured, while nearly 15,000 Yemenis have fled by boats to Djibouti and Somalia as refuges.

While officials in President Hadi’s government in exile keep raising their demands for ground troops from the Saudi coalition, local fighters in Aden, Taʻiz, Marib, and elsewhere continue to fend off the pro-Houthi/Saleh forces with occasional resupply airdrops from the Saudis. Moreover, another front in al-Jawf province, which borders both Saudi Arabia and Marib, has reportedly re-opened. At least seven Houthis were reportedly killed there in recent fighting.

April 23-30: Humanitarian situation worsens as war drags on

Over the last week, the press coverage has again spotlighted the countrywide humanitarian crisis as the Saudi warplanes above and the fierce battles on the ground continue to rage on in several of Yemen’s largest cities. Early last week, the second phase of the Saudi-led aerial campaign began, part of what the Saudis have dubbed “Operation Restoring Hope.” Two days later, the airstrikes resumed in the capital Sanʻa, and by the end of the week they hit a residential area to the northeast of the capital, killing at least 13 civilians. The runways of Sanʻa Airport, the country’s last operating airport, have been repeatedly hit in the face of the worsening humanitarian crisis. Aid agencies lost this only usable route and urgent flights for stranded Yemenis were put on hold. More than 5,000 Yemenis have reportedly been stranded abroad indefinitely.

As airstrikes and civil conflict continue, Yemenis are running out of necessary supplies, in desperate need of food, fuel and water. More than 1,200 people have been killed in the last month, while 300,000 have been internally displaced since the start of the conflict [editor’s note: roughly the same number again were already displaced before the current war started]. Three cities were declared “disaster areas,” while seven others are facing horrific humanitarian situations.

Across Yemen, at least 23 hospitals have been attacked, and 30 schools damaged or occupied by fighters of the warring parties, according to UNICEF. All schools and universities in the capital Sanʻa are still on hold.

Among several main cities, three have been witnessing the fiercest clashes between pro-Houthi/Saleh forces and their opponents over the few past weeks: Aden, Taʻiz and Marib.

In the southern port city of Aden, more than 50 people were killed last week. A two-hour respite was called for by aid workers so that bodies could be carted away in Khormaksar, where hundreds of families are trapped with scarce food and water, while electricity and fuel supplies are almost gone.

In the central city of Taʻiz, fighting has been intensified amid airstrikes as air cover for the pro-Hadi local fighters, while weapons were being airdropped for them to fend off their opponents.

In Marib, like in Taʻiz, pro-Hadi forces along with armed tribesmen are being given air cover while trying to fight off the pro-Houthi/Saleh forces that have surrounded the city from three sides [editor’s note: the term “pro-Hadi” is applied in some sources to forces in various parts of the country, but in fact things are not so clear-cut. In Taʻiz the forces opposing the Houthi-Saleh coalition seem to be mainly military units aligned with General ‘Ali Muhsin al-Ahmar and tribal levies associated with the Islah party. In Aden, by contrast, most of the resistance comes from locally-formed militias, most of which are tied to the Southern Movement. In Marib, local tribes are fighting the Houthi-Saleh forces to defend their own territory, but have no particular loyalty to the Hadi regime].

While the Houthis insist they will not return to dialogue unless “the Saudi aggression is completely stopped,” Yemeni political factions will reportedly hold a conference in Riyadh within two weeks.

April 15-22: Airstrikes and fighting continue as KSA "ends" 1st phase of bombing

Early last week, the humanitarian crisis facing the Yemeni people was dominating the headlines of the local press coverage, but as of Tuesday, the “abrupt ending” of the so-called Operation Decisive Storm has complicated news coverage. For the Saudi warplanes continue to strike in several parts of Yemen as the civil conflict on the ground expands onto new fronts. On Monday – one day before Saudi Arabia announced the second phase of its campaign in Yemen, dubbed ‘Operation Restoration of Hope’ – a huge explosion rocked the capital Sanʻa, killing at least 25 people and injuring hundreds of others.

The month-long Saudi aerial offensive has been officially reported to have killed at least 915 civilians, including 143 children and 95 women, and wounded 3943 others. In addition to the weeklong power outage across several main cities in the country, public water towers and resources were greatly damaged by the airstrikes in seven Yemeni provinces.

Complicating the already horrific humanitarian situation, Oxfam’s warehouses in Saʻdah were bombed by Saudi airstrikes. A number of Save the Children’s staffers in Sanʻa were injured and their workplace damaged by Monday’s earthquake-like explosion. Aid agencies, including ICRC, continue to warn of serious humanitarian catastrophe in the country.

Despite all that, the Saudi warplanes continue to strike as civil conflicts continue in several fronts between pro-Houthi/Saleh forces and their various opponents.

In the oil-rich province of Marib, clashes continue in western districts, where the power transmitting lines have been knocked out, and repair teams are still unable to reach affected areas.

In the southern port city of Aden, clashes continue in most of its areas as local fighters (including women recruits) are still trying to fight off the pro-Houthi/Saleh forces.

In the central city of Taʻiz, clashes spread through downtown streets and suburbs since the beginning of the past week. Pro-Houthi/Saleh forces have captured the 35^th Armored Brigade, which declared its support to President Hadi. The unit has ties to General ‘Ali Muhsin al-Ahmar, who is serving as Hadi’s military advisor in Riyadh.

Taking advantage of the Saudi airstrikes, al-Qaeda in the eastern Hadramout Governorate took control of the capital city, al-Mukalla, and captured one of the biggest mechanized military bases, which includes 70 armored tanks.

Failing to restore Hadi to power, Saudi Arabia, however, continues its campaign, while the Houthis continue to engage in clashes with their rivals in the southern cities. The Houthi spokesperson said in a statement that they will engage in political talks only if “the Saudi aggression is completely stopped.”