Why are the Houthis fighting for Yemen’s Kahboub Mountains?

The Houthis are attempting to push into the Kahboub Mountains after seizing much of Yemen’s Red Sea coast in a lightning offensive this month – an advance that experts say could dramatically shift the balance of power in the country’s war if successful.The renewed fighting in recent months with forces aligned with Yemen’s Saudi-backed, internationally recognised government has brought an end to the relative calm that had largely held since 2022. In recent days, the conflict has moved into the rugged highlands overlooking the approaches to Bab al-Mandeb, one of the world’s most important shipping routes.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Trump-GCC Summit in New York: What does each side want?list 2 of 3Who actually has power at the United Nations?list 3 of 3La Liga President Tebas slams Real Madrid refereeing ‘conspiracy’ claimsend of listThe strait connects the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, and its importance is only growing as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains disrupted by the Houthis’ main ally: Iran.Experts said taking the high ground would help the Houthis defend the newly captured coastline and make it far harder for government forces t...