Houthis target Saudi Arabia following air strikes as Yemeni forces push towards Sanaa

Yemen's Houthi rebels have launched strikes on Saudi Arabia following the latter's air raids, as Yemen's government forces push towards the capital, Sanaa. Saudi Arabia reported conducting strikes across Yemen while maintaining an open door for diplomatic talks with the Houthis. The Yemeni government and National Resistance Forces clashed with Houthi fighters in Taiz province, as loyal forces to the internationally-recognized government commenced a counteroffensive to retake Sanaa.

Saudi-backed government troops engaged in "intensive battles" with ground troops in Taiz, Bayda, and Jawf, a province considered a key route to Sanaa.

Yemen's Deputy Defence Minister Major General Samir al-Sabri announced the intention to recapture Sanaa, with the government-aligned forces declaring their campaign aimed at liberating Yemen from the Houthis' grasp and restoring Sanaa as a capital for all Yemenis. Pro-government forces reported advancing toward the al-Labanat mountains in al-Jawf, conducting rocket strikes on Yatma, and moving towards the Dhi Na’im district in al-Bayda.

The escalation of fighting threatens to widen Yemen's longstanding conflict. Local media reported air strikes on Houthi positions west of Taiz. Saba news agency, affiliated with the Houthi movement, stated that seven people, including a child, were killed by Saudi air strikes on a prison in Al-Hazm, north Yemen. Houthi forces countered the government advance by targeting reinforcements in al-Jawf with ballistic missiles.

The flare-up also spilled over Yemen's borders, with at least 73 civilians, including women and children, wounded in fresh Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia's southern provinces.

Saudi Arabia condemned the attacks, calling them a "dangerous escalation" and warning of a response. The kingdom's Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, accused the Houthis of trying to export their problems to Saudi Arabia and Yemen's government, describing their actions as "selfishness." Saudi Arabia vowed not to hesitate to defend itself and its interests, while also expressing a willingness to engage in diplomatic solutions.

Escalating air attacks saw Saudi Arabia launch 121 strikes across various provinces, causing damage to energy sector facilities and installations, which resulted in a temporary halt in some operations.

The conflict has gained regional significance, with tensions between the United States, Israel, and Iran also at play. The Houthis have imposed a blockade on Saudi ships in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb, while Iran has restricted shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. The flare-up marks the worst since a UN-brokered truce halted large-scale hostilities in 2022.

At least 728 people have been killed or wounded since August 23, primarily in Taiz and along Yemen's western coast, while 21,000 people have been displaced from Taiz since Thursday, according to multiple reports.