Yemeni Government Launches Major Offensive Against Iran-Backed Houthis
Yemen’s internationally recognized government, backed by Saudi Arabia, has launched a major military campaign to retake all territories held by the Iran-supported Houthi movement. In a televised address, Yemeni President Rashad al-Alimi announced the offensive, vowing to liberate the country from what he called the "terrorist militia." A military spokesman urged the Houthis to surrender their weapons.
The Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah, have controlled Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, and large parts of the northwest since 2014. Despite repeated attacks by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and their Western allies, the Houthis have persisted, enhancing their military capabilities with Iranian assistance. Last month, they staged a surprise offensive, seizing the strategic Bab el-Mandeb strait and over 150 km of Red Sea coastline, significantly impacting international shipping routes.
As the Yemeni government announced its counteroffensive, the Houthis claimed they had launched ballistic missiles and drones at Saudi Aramco sites in Riyadh and Khurais, alleging the attacks caused major fires. They stated the strikes were in response to what they described as 50 Saudi-led air and missile strikes in Yemen within the past 12 hours. Saudi Arabia did not immediately confirm the claims. Alimi stated that the decision to launch the offensive came after all efforts to de-escalate the conflict had failed, thanking Saudi Arabia for its support and calling on regional allies to back the Yemeni forces.
The conflict in Yemen has been ongoing for years, involving various local armed groups and international actors. The Houthis initially seized control of Sanaa during the 2011 Arab Spring uprising. Saudi Arabia entered the civil war in 2015 leading an Arab coalition to support the Yemeni government, but failed to defeat the Houthis. A truce agreed in 2022 largely held until this year, when the Houthis launched attacks on Saudi shipping and oil infrastructure, escalating tensions further.