The head of Yemen's internationally recognized government announced the initiation of military operations aimed at reclaiming territory held by the Houthis. This announcement follows recent exchanges of strikes between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition. The Iran-backed Houthis reported attacks on sites belonging to Saudi national oil company Aramco, claiming these were in response to 50 strikes from the Saudi-led coalition within 12 hours. Saudi Arabia has not yet provided a comment on these claims.
Yemeni President Rashad al-Alimi made the announcement during a televised address, stating, "Today, I announce the start of military operations to retake the remaining territory of the republic and extend the authority of the state and its institutions across the entire national territory." The Houthis have maintained control over Yemen's capital, Sanaa, for over a decade, and government forces are reportedly intensifying their efforts to weaken the group's military capabilities.
The conflict has seen attacks spread across Yemen, including the Saada region, which is the Houthis' northern stronghold. The key city of Taiz remains a focal point of the conflict, currently under the control of the internationally recognized government. However, reports indicate that the Houthis have cut a vital supply route linking Taiz with Aden, the interim capital of the Yemeni government, effectively encircling Taiz.
Farea Al-Muslimi, a research fellow at Chatham House, noted that the Houthis have achieved their military objective of isolating Taiz from Aden, even if they have not fully taken control of the city. Al-Alimi's announcement is believed to have received approval from Saudi Arabia, which is a significant backer of his government.
In response to Houthi attacks, Saudi Arabia has been conducting strikes on Houthi targets, with reports of casualties from these strikes. The Houthis have claimed successful missile and drone attacks on Aramco sites in Riyadh and the Khurais area, stating that these operations caused significant damage.
The ongoing conflict has exacerbated Yemen's humanitarian crisis, with the country being one of the poorest in the world. The war began in 2014 when the Houthis took control of the capital from the Saudi-backed government, leading to Saudi Arabia's intervention the following year. After a period of relative calm, the conflict escalated again in July amid broader regional tensions, with the Houthis recently seizing control of the entire Red Sea coast, impacting Saudi oil export routes.