Yemen launches major military operation against Houthis

Yemen's Saudi-backed government has launched a major military operation to reclaim territory from Iran-backed Houthi rebels, intensifying conflict around the southwestern city of Taiz. Presidential Council chief Rashad al-Alimi announced the start of the operation, aiming to extend state authority across the entire nation. The move comes after Houthi fighters captured a crucial road connecting Taiz to the government-held city of Aden, effectively isolating the city.

Over 70 people were reportedly killed in the recent fighting around Taiz. The escalation between the Houthis and the internationally recognized government, supported by Saudi Arabia, has reignited Yemen's civil war, which ended a four-year ceasefire in July. The conflict arose when the Houthis allowed an Iranian plane to land in Sanaa, defying Saudi control over Yemeni airspace.

In response, the Houthis imposed a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia. Last month, the rebels seized control of Yemen's Red Sea coast and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical global shipping route. Despite al-Alimi's call for international support, the Houthis have maintained control over Sanaa and most of Yemen's western regions since the civil war began in 2014.