Yemen’s government announces military operation to retake Houthi-held land

Yemen's government has declared a substantial military operation on Sunday to reclaim territories currently occupied by the Iran-backed Houthis. In a televised address, Yemeni President Rashad al-Alimi declared the commencement of military actions aimed at recovering the remaining republic territory and extending state authority and institutions throughout the entire national territory.

Regional and Western officials informed Reuters that Saudi Arabia, along with its Yemeni allies, was planning an offensive against the Houthis, with the Saudis leading the aerial combat and Yemeni forces engaged in ground fighting. The Houthis have maintained control on the ground since seizing the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a southern exit of the Red Sea and a vital shipping route between the Mediterranean and Asia.

This route has gained increased importance this year as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, which has been largely closed due to the Iran conflict.

Over the past 48 hours, the Houthis have made significant gains against government and local forces, particularly on strategic hilltops near Taiz. Military sources cited by Reuters reported Houthi advances towards the last road connecting Taiz with Aden, the capital city governed by the Saudi-backed government. Control of this road would effectively place Taiz, Yemen's third-largest city, under siege.

Taiz is home to hundreds of thousands of civilians, and thousands of government forces are stationed there. The siege would exacerbate an already dire humanitarian situation.

Saudi Arabia entered Yemen's civil war in 2015 as the head of an Arab coalition supporting the internationally recognized government, which the Houthis had previously driven from the capital, Sanaa. A truce agreed upon in 2022 largely held until this year when the Houthis initiated missile and drone attacks on Saudi shipping and oil infrastructure, a repercussion of their involvement in the Iran conflict.