Forces loyal to Yemen’s internationally recognized government have launched counterattacks against the Houthi rebels, with officials stating their objective is to recapture the capital, Sanaa, from the Iran-backed group. Fighting intensified on September 4, 2023, in the provinces of Taiz, al-Bayda, and al-Jawf, which are considered key to accessing the capital. Government forces reported conducting air strikes using rockets and drones against Houthi positions and engaged in ground battles.
The Houthis reported that at least seven individuals were killed in an air strike on a prison in the town of al-Hazm in al-Jawf. Yemen’s Deputy Defence Minister, Major-General Samir Al-Sabri, announced on state television that the Saudi Arabia-backed government has made the decision to retake Sanaa.
Majid al-Nuzaili, a spokesman for Yemen’s government-aligned forces, indicated that the campaign's goal is to liberate Yemen from Houthi control and restore Sanaa as the capital for all Yemenis. He advised civilians to avoid several major roads leading into Sanaa, including routes connecting the capital with Marib and al-Jawf.
This escalation marks the most significant increase in hostilities since a United Nations-brokered truce halted large-scale fighting in 2022. The conflict in Yemen began in 2014 when the Houthis took control of Sanaa, leading to a Saudi-led military intervention the following year. Diplomatic efforts to establish a lasting political settlement have stalled amid regional tensions exacerbated by the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Israel against Iran.
Fighting resumed in July when government forces targeted the Houthi-controlled airport in Sanaa, preventing an aircraft from Iran from landing. The Houthis subsequently launched a major offensive, attempting to advance through western Taiz and southern Hodeidah towards the port city of al-Makha and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea. The Houthis also declared a blockade against Saudi vessels transiting this vital shipping corridor.
Ahmed al-Shalafi, Al Jazeera’s Yemen affairs editor, noted that Yemeni government forces appear to have adapted to the initial Houthi offensive and have expanded the fighting across multiple fronts to increase pressure on Houthi forces. The fighting has spread to the provinces of al-Dhalea, Marib, al-Jawf, and al-Bayda.
The World Health Organization reported that nearly 900 people have been killed or wounded since September 4, with the majority of casualties occurring in Taiz and along the western coast. Approximately 21,000 people, or about 3,000 families, have been displaced from Taiz alone. Al Jazeera’s Yousef Mawry stated that the casualty count is expected to rise further as it does not include figures from September 4.
Rashad al-Alimi, head of Yemen’s Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council, claimed significant gains against the Houthis on September 4, attributing advances to government forces in al-Jawf, al-Bayda, Taiz, and Hodeidah. He stated that the armed forces would continue their efforts until state institutions are restored across Yemen, accusing the Houthis of escalating tensions instead of pursuing peace.
The media center of the government-aligned forces reported multiple air attacks against Houthi positions west of Taiz and announced a ground offensive towards the al-Labanat mountains in al-Jawf. The center claimed that government-aligned forces had advanced to the outskirts of Dhi Na’im district in al-Bayda.
In response, the Houthis claimed to have repelled the government’s advance towards the al-Labanat mountains and reported that many government-aligned fighters were killed or wounded. They also released footage purportedly showing a ballistic missile strike on military equipment trucks from Saudi territory at the al-Wadiah camp in Hadramawt. Al Jazeera could not independently verify the claims made by either the Houthis or the Yemeni government.