Saudi-backed forces said on Sunday that they were withdrawing from the Red Sea coast. This move is a setback for the Yemeni government as the Houthi militia advances. Analyst Ahmed Nagi said, "The Houthis are very determined to go to Aden." The balance of power now tilts toward them.
The move is a setback for the Yemeni government and its ally Saudi Arabia, as analysts said the balance of power in the country's civil war was tilting toward the Iran-backed Houthi militia.
Forces backed by Saudi Arabia in Yemen said on Sunday that they were withdrawing from the country's Red Sea coast, where they have been fighting for weeks to retake strategic territory from the Iran-aligned Houthi militia.
A group of fighters called the Southern Armed Forces, who are allied with the government of Yemen, said in a statement that they were "redeploying" to protect the interim capital, Aden, citing recent battlefield developments and "threats targeting" the city.
The retreat is a blow for the Yemeni government and Saudi Arabia as the balance of power in Yemen continues to tilt toward the Houthis, analysts said.
"The Houthis are very determined to go to Aden," said Ahmed Nagi, a senior analyst for Yemen at the International Crisis Group. "They don't want to see any area controlled by the government or the Saudi side, so they want to take over everything at this moment."