Story perspectives

Saudi-backed Yemen forces repel Houthi attacks on Hejat al-Abd

By Drooid · Sep 25, 2026, 6:09 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces repelled overnight Houthi attacks on the Hejat al-Abd pass on September 24, 2026.
The Hejat al-Abd pass is the main supply route to Aden and transports goods to Taiz.
The fighting escalates, threatening the Bab al-Mandeb chokepoint and potentially disrupting global oil shipments.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman asked U.S. President Donald Trump for military assistance, but Trump declined.

History

Historical Context

In 1991 a 42-nation coalition, led by the United States, defended Persian Gulf oil lanes and stationed roughly 5,000 troops in Saudi Arabia, with US forces comprising about 73 % of the 956,600-person force. Decades later, in September 2026 Saudi-backed Yemeni units held the Hejat al-Abd pass while Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sought U.S. help that was declined, echoing past reluctance to secure regional chokepoints.

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Story summary

Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces repelled overnight Houthi attacks on the Hejat al-Abd pass on September 24, 2026.
The Hejat al-Abd pass is the main supply route to Aden and transports goods to Taiz.
The fighting escalates, threatening the Bab al-Mandeb chokepoint and potentially disrupting global oil shipments.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman asked U.S. President Donald Trump for military assistance, but Trump declined.

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