A misleading video claiming Houthi advances on the Yemeni west coast

Social media accounts circulated a video clip claiming to show scenes of rapid developments in favor of the Houthi group, supported by Iran, on the western coast of Yemen towards the areas east of Mokha, and controlling sites close to the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

The approximately 59-second video shows pickup trucks equipped with heavy machine guns maneuvering through mountainous terrain, along with scenes of explosions, damaged vehicles, and soldiers, with on-screen text confirming claims of progress.

The video was accompanied by a misleading description that said: “Urgent and direct from the battlefield now, accelerating field developments on the western coast front. Sana’a forces advance towards the areas east of Mokha, coinciding with the control of a number of sites, while attention turns to the course of developments near Bab al-Mandab.”

A reverse search for the video showed that clips of it were included in a propaganda clip published by the Houthi group’s military media website on October 24, 2021.

At the time, the caption accompanying the video said: “And it heals the breasts of a faithful people - Operation Spring of Victory,” referring to Houthi military movements in October 2021, with the aim of extending control over areas in the Ma’rib and Shabwa governorates.

On the same date, Yemeni websites reported footage that appeared during the circulating video, with the words “War Media,” with a comment saying: “Operation Spring of Victory... The Yemeni armed forces are in the process of carrying out military operations inside the city of Ma’rib and are calling on all citizens of the city of Ma’rib to stay away from the military headquarters of the mercenaries.”

The video resurfaced on the sidelines of the escalation of extended confrontations between government forces and the military formations supporting them, and Houthi fighters in Taiz and Hodeidah governorates, since the beginning of last month.