Yemen’s Government Launches Major Military Operation Against Houthis

Yemen’s Saudi-backed president, Rashad al-Alimi, announced on Sunday the start of a major military operation to retake territory held by the Iran backed Houthis. In a televised address, he said all chances for de escalation were exhausted, accusing the Houthis of answering calm efforts with more mobilization. He ordered all armed and security forces to carry out their assigned tasks and thanked Saudi Arabia for standing with Yemen. Reuters reported earlier this week that Saudi Arabia and its Yemeni allies were preparing such an assault, with the Saudis handling air combat and Yemeni troops fighting on the ground.

Houthis Claim Strikes on Saudi Aramco Sites

The Houthis said they fired ballistic missiles and drones at Aramco sites in Riyadh and the Khurais area, claiming major fires, in response to what they called 50 Saudi-led air and missile strikes on Yemen over 12 hours. Saudi Arabia has not confirmed the attacks.

Bab el-Mandeb and the Battle for Taiz

The Houthis hold the initiative on the ground after seizing the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea’s southern exit and a key shipping route while Hormuz remains effectively closed. They have also gained ground near Taiz, advancing on the last road between the city and Aden. Control of that road would mean an effective siege of Yemen’s third-largest city. The World Food Programme says three in four families in parts of Yemen face hunger.