The videos were filmed during fighting near Bab el-Mandeb. The Houthis called them evidence of war crimes; the Saudi-led coalition did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
In a report dated October 6, Reuters described videos filmed from Yemeni government armoured vehicles during fighting near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The agency said it had verified the footage. It showed both armed and unarmed people; in some scenes, men did not try to move away from an approaching vehicle, and some appeared with their hands raised.
The footage emerged as Saudi-backed government forces sought to consolidate positions after a counterattack, according to Yemeni military sources. The Associated Press also reported that government forces had retaken several key areas. Reuters said it could not independently verify the extent of the gains, while the Houthis denied losing ground.
The Houthis described the videos as evidence of war crimes and accused Saudi Arabia and forces it supports. The Saudi-led coalition did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment, and the Giants Brigade, which is involved in the fighting, also did not comment. The Homeland Shield Forces issued an order urging troops to follow legal and ethical standards and treat prisoners humanely.
Gunfire can be heard in the footage and a vehicle’s windscreen appears damaged. This indicates ongoing fighting but does not establish the circumstances of every incident. Allegations of violations require investigation; publication of the videos is not a substitute for one.
Fighting is continuing near Taiz, Yemen’s 3rd-largest city. Government military sources told Reuters that Houthi advances in a mountainous area had cut a main road to Aden and encircled government forces. The war pits the Houthis against a coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognised government, backed by Saudi Arabia and its allies.
Bab el-Mandeb is a key corridor for international shipping. The renewed escalation coincides with tensions between the United States and Iran and disruption to traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Ahmed Nagi, a Yemen analyst at the International Crisis Group, called the operation a possible turning point and said an advance into the mountains would test government forces.