Yemeni Government Launches Offensive to Retake Houthi-Held Territory

Yemen's internationally recognized government announced a major military offensive on Sunday to retake all territory seized by Houthi rebels in recent weeks. The operation aims to reverse Houthi gains along the Red Sea coast, including the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital global shipping chokepoint.

Saudi Arabia is leading an intensified air campaign with approximately 100 fighter jets supporting Yemeni government forces on the ground. The coalition says it has secured air protection over the strait and destroyed hundreds of Houthi targets, though independent verification remains limited.

“I announce today the start of military operations to retake the remaining territories of the republic and extend the authority of the state and its institutions across the entire national territory.”

The offensive follows a lightning Houthi advance in September that captured the port city of Mokha and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, disrupting a key energy route. Houthi forces also cut the main supply road linking the besieged city of Taiz to Aden, effectively encircling Yemen's third-largest city.

Fighting has intensified around Taiz, where government forces repelled heavy Houthi assaults over the weekend. Military sources reported more than 70 combatants killed in a single day, including 34 government troops, with dozens more casualties on both sides.

Riyadh hosted an emergency meeting with Turkey and Pakistan on Monday under the Mecca defence pact, agreeing to rapidly deploy military capabilities to Saudi Arabia. The U.S. is providing intelligence, target identification, and planning support for the operation, though not directly participating in combat.