Yemen and Saudi-led coalition launch major offensive against Houthi rebels

Yemen's military and a Saudi-led coalition launched a major offensive against Iran-backed Houthi fighters on Monday, aiming to retake territory controlled by the rebel group. The operation began in the Houthi-held capital, Sanaa, and targeted military sites in the town of Hodeida along the Red Sea coast. The coalition claimed to have destroyed weapons depots and thwarted a planned attack on Red Sea waterways, while Yemeni forces reportedly retook the strategic town of Dhubab near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

The offensive follows the Houthis' capture of a key road linking Taiz to Aden, effectively isolating Taiz after a decade-long siege. Clashes around Taiz reportedly killed over 70 people in the past day. The Houthis also claimed responsibility for drone and missile strikes on Saudi targets, including King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and an oil refinery in Rabigh, though these reports were not immediately confirmed by Saudi authorities.

In response to the escalation, Turkey and Pakistan agreed to deploy troops to Saudi Arabia under the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement. The three nations condemned the Houthis' attacks on Saudi Arabia's holy cities and pledged to provide military support. The conflict marks a renewed escalation in Yemen's civil war, which has raged since 2014, following the collapse of a 2022 truce between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia.

The Houthis have expanded their control, seizing Yemen's Red Sea coast and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical global shipping route. Meanwhile, the group has continued launching long-range attacks on Saudi targets, further escalating tensions in the region.