Yemen’s internationally recognized government has initiated a military campaign to reclaim territory controlled by the Houthis, marking a significant escalation in the civil war that had seen reduced activity in recent years. Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), announced the offensive following weeks of intense fighting and Houthi advances along Yemen’s Red Sea coast and around the city of Taiz.
On Monday, Yemeni government forces reported the launch of a strategic offensive targeting the capital Sanaa, which has been under Houthi control since 2014. The government claimed to have regained control of the Dhubab district on the west coast near the Bab al-Mandab strait, although the Houthis disputed this claim.
The conflict has intensified since a truce collapsed in July 2022, displacing over 100,000 people. Last month, the Houthis captured approximately 150 kilometers (93 miles) of coastline and areas around Bab al-Mandeb, a critical shipping route.
Yemen’s foreign minister, Afrah Al-Zouba, called for international support to stabilize the country and combat the Houthis, stating, "We call upon our brothers, friends and the international community to support the Yemeni people, their state, and their national institutions in confronting the terrorist Houthi militia."
The Yemeni government reported that 1,747 Houthi fighters had been neutralized during 1,122 military operations in the Saada, al-Jawf, and Taiz governorates. Military spokesman Majed Abdullah al-Nuzaili indicated that various military assets, including warplanes and drones, were utilized in these operations, which reportedly destroyed or disabled 364 military and logistical vehicles. These figures have not been independently verified.
In Marib governorate, fighting escalated as government forces attacked Houthi positions, coinciding with airstrikes targeting Houthi reinforcements. A military source indicated that these operations were aimed at disrupting Houthi supply lines and fortifications.
The Saudi-led coalition reported conducting 97 attacks against Houthi positions around Taiz using various military assets. Al-Alimi emphasized the need for military operations to regain territory and restore state authority across Yemen.
Despite the ongoing conflict, analysts, including Ibrahim Jalal, noted that the Houthis have developed significant military capabilities, bolstered by support from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Saudi Arabia has reiterated its commitment to support the Yemeni government until the Houthi threat is neutralized.
The Houthis have maintained control over Yemen’s capital and much of the northwest since 2014, despite Saudi-led military intervention. A UN-brokered truce in 2022 had briefly reduced hostilities, but fighting has intensified in recent months, particularly along the Red Sea coast and in Taiz.