The Houthi (Ansar Allah) movement launched a "lightning offensive," seizing Yemen’s entire Red Sea coast over the weekend, including the strategic port of Mocha and Perim Island (Mayun) in the Bab al-Mandab Strait. This rapid advance collapsed Saudi-backed government forces, who were driven from six districts, and resulted in the capture of US-manufactured military vehicles and the UAE-built Mocha airport runway.

The Houthis took over Saudi-supported government coalition positions across Hays, Al-Khawkhah, Mokha, and Dhubab, claiming control of over 4,500 square miles. Their takeover of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a vital artery for global energy shipping, has forced the suspension of Saudi Arabia’s crucial oil pipeline following drone attacks.

During the retreat of coalition and Saudi-backed local militias, Houthis overran multiple garrisons, seizing substantial quantities of military gear—including U.S.-supplied armored vehicles, artillery, and anti-tank systems left behind by withdrawing forces.

The UN and local reporting indicate nearly 50,000 civilians have fled the rapid advance, emptying towns along the Red Sea coast as fighting escalates.

The Houthis have explicitly threatened Saudi-linked vessels, causing oil tankers to reroute via the Suez Canal or Cape of Good Hope, while claiming navigation remains safe for non-Saudi international ships.

During a visit to Dublin, US President Donald Trump said on Saturday, that the Houthis contacted Washington to request no US military intervention, claiming they "do not want to fight with us," adding that the U.S. intends to let regional partners handle ground dynamics while providing intelligence and non-kinetic targeting support to Riyadh.

However, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly called Trump twice on Thursday, to request direct US airstrikes against the Houthis.

The Trump administration declined direct military action to avoid opening a new front while fighting Iran, offering instead intelligence and targeting support to Saudi Arabia, which has launched over 50 airstrikes in response.

U.S. officials reportedly cited a directive to keep American forces focused on broader regional postures, including monitoring Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, rather than reigniting full-scale kinetic operations in Yemen.

The Houthi offensive coincides with drone and missile strikes targeting oil pipelines and logistics hubs inside southern Saudi Arabia, forcing shutdowns of key transit lines.

By holding the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Houthis hold immense leverage over global shipping and Red Sea commerce, placing pressure on both Gulf states and international trade markets. Yemen had experienced relative quiet following a 2022 truce, but skirmishes flared up few months ago, before exploding into this full-scale offensive.

SpaceX Falcon 9 launched the classified USSF-153 mission on Thursday (Sept. 1) at 1542 UTC from Space Launch Complex 4E(SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base, carrying carried an undisclosed payload to low Earth orbit (LEO) for the U.S. Space Force.

The Falcon 9 first-stage booster, B1081, completed its 27th flight, after executing a precision landing on the autonomous droneship 'Of Course I Still Love You' in the Pacific Ocean about 8.5 minutes after liftoff, marking the 660th overall Falcon 9 booster recovery. Residents in surrounding California counties reported hearing sonic booms as the booster returned through the atmosphere at supersonic speeds.

USSF-153 is a classified mission, with industry analysts suggesting the cargo likely consists of classified satellites potentially utilizing SpaceX’s Starshield platform, based on trajectory similarities to previous Starlink deployments.

"Starshield leverages SpaceX's Starlink technology and launch capability to support national security efforts," SpaceX wrote in a description of the Starshield program.

Due to the classified nature of the flight, post-launch telemetry and orbital parameters were withheld, with SpaceX's livestream ending shortly after the booster's recovery.

This operation marked the 104th Falcon 9 mission of 2026 and served as the fifth national security launch for the company this year, following missions such as NROL-105 and USSF-366.

Iranian ballistic missile strikes overnight Wednesday, targeted the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, reportedly damaging multiple US military aircraft** stationed there. An A-10 Thunderbolt (Warthog) suffered a direct hit that resulted in a missing wing, while about eight F-15 fighter jets sustained light damage. The damaged F-15s were subsequently repaired and returned to service, with no US fatalities reported at the base.

US forces in Jordan launched more than 30 Patriot missiles to intercept the Iranian attack, which occurred following weeks of relative calm in the escalating US-Iran conflict.

The strikes on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base were reportedly launched by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and came directly in response to a major U.S. naval action where American forces targeted and sank five Iranian oil tankers following Iran's attempts to strike U.S. naval assets and commercial shipping. The IRGC launched coordinated missile attacks targeting key regional hubs housing American forces, including installations in Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain.