China presses Iran to rein in Houthis after Saudi appeal

Iran-backed Houthi fighters have swept down Yemen's Red Sea coast in a two-week offensive that has reshaped the battlefield, seizing territory near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, claiming to have downed a Saudi F-15 fighter jet, and striking Saudi cities and energy infrastructure — opening a dangerous new front in the wider Iran war.

A Lightning Offensive

The Houthi offensive, launched on September 3, has captured the port city of Mocha, the Hanish Islands, and the island of Mayyun (Perim), giving the group control over nearly the entire Yemeni Red Sea coastline. The advance places the Houthis within striking distance of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a chokepoint through which a large share of global trade passes.reuters+3

On Wednesday, the Houthis released video they said showed a Saudi F-15SA shot down over Marib Governorate by a domestically produced surface-to-air missile. CNN Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. ↘ 1.56% reported that a military analyst found markings in the footage "consistent" with those on Saudi F-15 aircraft, though neither Saudi Arabia nor the United States has confirmed the claim. If verified, it would mark only the second time a US-built fighter has been downed by enemy fire in the broader conflict.cnn+1

Saudi Arabia Under Pressure

Saudi Arabia has responded with waves of airstrikes on Houthi positions while the rebels fired missiles and drones at Saudi cities, military bases, and energy infrastructure. A drone attack temporarily shut Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline, which had been carrying 4 million to 5 million barrels a day — roughly 4% to 5% of global supply — as an alternative to the blocked Strait of Hormuz. Saudi Arabia intercepted a drone near Mecca, though the Houthis denied targeting the holy city. Riyadh has sought air-defense assistance from France, the United Kingdom, Pakistan, and Egypt as its interceptor stocks run low.themedialine+1

Diplomacy and Displacement

China has privately pressed Tehran to help rein in the Houthis following a Saudi appeal to Beijing Boeing Co. ↗ 0.61%, according to Reuters, citing three Iranian sources. Beijing's message went beyond its public calls for restraint, urging Iran to use its influence to prevent the conflict from spreading further across energy routes on which China depends. Tehran's response, the sources said, was that regional stability depends on ending the US-Israeli war on Iran.reuters

President Trump told reporters Wednesday that Iran "wants to make a deal," adding, "We'll see how that works out". US officials recently met Houthi representatives in Oman, and Trump is expected to discuss Iran with Gulf leaders at next week's UN General Assembly.themedialine

The human toll continues to mount. More than 125,000 people have been displaced by the fighting, including over 57,000 children, according to UNICEF. "This is one of the most fast-moving and volatile displacement waves Yemen has seen in years," said Obia Achieng, a UNICEF representative in Yemen.abcnews