Yemen's President Orders Offensive to Retake Houthi-Held Territory
Yemen's President Rashad al-Alimi has ordered an offensive to retake territory held by the Houthi group, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict. The move comes after days of strikes between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition.
The Houthis had previously attacked Aramco sites in Saudi Arabia, with their military spokesman Yahya Saree claiming that a ballistic missile and drone attack hit facilities in Riyadh and the Khurais area. The group described the attack as a response to 50 Saudi-led coalition air and missile strikes in Yemen within 12 hours.
Meanwhile, the Houthis have cut a key supply route between Taiz and Aden, effectively encircling the city of Taiz. Farea Al-Muslimi, a research fellow at Chatham House, said that the Houthis had reached their goal of isolating Taiz from Aden.
The conflict has disrupted global oil supplies, with the Houthis seizing Yemen's entire Red Sea coast, including the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The Saudi-led coalition has been trying to degrade the group's military capabilities, but the Houthis have continued to gain ground.