The Southern Armed Forces group allied with Yemen's UN-recognized government and backed by Saudi Arabia said Sunday they had repositioned themselves away from the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
The Southern Armed Forces said the repositioning is intended to secure the southern city of Aden, "and the neighboring governorates, as well as strengthening the frontlines and addressing existing threats."
Aden, which has a population of over a million people, is the interim seat of the Yemeni government, formally known as the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC).
The Southern Armed Forces also intend to end the Houthi siege over the strategic southwestern city of Taiz.
Nearly two million people live in Taiz, Yemen's third-largest city.
The siege is raising fears of famine for residents, as well as a possible medical crisis as hospitals face restricted supplies.
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The Houthis control much of northwest Yemen, including the capital Sanaa.
The rebels are a Shiite militant group backed by Iran. The US, Canada and several other countries regard them as a terror organization.
The Houthis in September launched a rapid offensive against the PLC, seizing much of the coastline along the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.
