In a country already hollowed out by a decade of war, Yemen's internationally recognized government has declared a total military campaign to reclaim what remains of its territory from the Houthis — a movement that now controls the Red Sea coastline, threatens global shipping lanes, and strikes at the heart of Saudi Arabia's oil economy. President al-Alimi's announcement, made in a televised address on Sunday, marks a significant escalation in a conflict that began in 2014 and has never truly paused, only shifted in intensity. The declaration reflects not merely a military calculation but a re
Yemen's government declares all-out war against Houthis over Red Sea control
At least two people wounded in Saudi coalition strikes on Sunday; Yemen remains gripped by a vast humanitarian crisis amid ongoing conflict.
The Houthis have effectively isolated Taiz from the south
Mark
So the Yemeni government just declared war on the Houthis. But haven't they been fighting for years?
Mimi
Yes, but this is different in scope. The Houthis seized the entire Red Sea coast last month—that's a major strategic shift. Al-Alimi's announcement is essentially saying they're going to try to take back everything.
Luke
Wait—who exactly is "the Yemeni government" here? Is this the government that actually controls territory, or is this the internationally recognized one that Saudi Arabia backs?
Mimi
It's the internationally recognized government, the one Saudi Arabia supports. They control some territory, including Aden and Taiz, but the Houthis hold the capital, Sanaa, and now the entire coast.
Mark
Why does the Red Sea coast matter so much?
Mimi
It's one of the world's most important shipping lanes. The Houthis now control the Bab al-Mandab Strait. They can disrupt global trade and, more importantly, they've blocked Saudi Arabia from using it as an alternative oil export route.
Luke
And the Houthis are backed by Iran, right? So this is partly a proxy conflict?
Mimi
Exactly. Iran benefits from the Houthis controlling that coastline. It disrupts Saudi interests and regional commerce.
Mark
What about the actual fighting on the ground? Is the government making progress?
Mimi
Not really. The Houthis just cut off Taiz from Aden—they've effectively encircled the city. Security sources say the Houthis are actually making territorial gains despite the government's offensives.
Luke
So when al-Alimi announced this military campaign, was that his own decision or Saudi Arabia's?
Mimi
Almost certainly Saudi Arabia's. He wouldn't make an announcement that big without their approval. They're his main backer.
Mark
And the Houthis are striking back at Saudi oil facilities?
Mimi
Yes. They claimed they hit Aramco sites in Riyadh and the Khurais oil field with missiles and drones. They say they caused large fires.
Luke
Do we know if those strikes actually succeeded? Saudi Arabia hasn't commented.
Mimi
That's the thing—Saudi Arabia has dismissed some Houthi claims before as exaggerated or false. So we can't independently verify what happened.
Mark
What does this mean for Yemen itself?
Mimi
Yemen is already one of the poorest countries in the world and in the middle of a massive humanitarian crisis. A full-scale war will make that much worse.
The Pulse
- The Houthis' seizure of Yemen's entire Red Sea coastline last month handed them control of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, one of the world's most consequential chokepoints for oil and trade.
- Houthi forces have now cut the main road linking Taiz to Aden, effectively encircling a major government-held city and achieving what analysts describe as a core strategic objective.
- Ballistic missiles and drones struck Saudi Aramco facilities in Riyadh and the Khurais oil field, with the Houthis claiming large fires — a direct threat to global energy markets that Saudi Arabia has yet to formally address.
- President al-Alimi declared an immediate all-out military offensive to retake all Houthi-held territory, a move analysts say could not have been made without Saudi Arabia's backing and approval.
- Despite coalition airstrikes across Sanaa, Saada, and Taiz, security sources indicate the Houthis continue to gain ground, raising serious doubts about the government offensive's prospects.
- Yemen's humanitarian catastrophe — already among the world's worst — faces deepening collapse as the renewed fighting closes supply routes and draws the country further from any political resolution.
In a country already hollowed out by a decade of war, Yemen's internationally recognized government has declared a total military campaign to reclaim what remains of its territory from the Houthis — a movement that now controls the Red Sea coastline, threatens global shipping lanes, and strikes at the heart of Saudi Arabia's oil economy. President al-Alimi's announcement, made in a televised address on Sunday, marks a significant escalation in a conflict that began in 2014 and has never truly paused, only shifted in intensity. The declaration reflects not merely a military calculation but a reckoning with how much ground — literal and strategic — has already been lost, and how much the world beyond Yemen's borders now depends on what happens within them.
Yemen's internationally recognized government declared an all-out military campaign on Sunday to retake territory from the Houthis, escalating a conflict that has already redrawn the country's map and begun to threaten global oil supplies. In a televised address, President Rashad al-Alimi announced that operations would begin immediately to restore state authority across all Houthi-held areas. The declaration followed the strategic shock of last month's Houthi offensive, in which the group rapidly seized Yemen's entire Red Sea coastline — including command of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a critical artery for global shipping and a vital alternative export route for Saudi oil.
The fighting is now concentrated around Taiz, a major city that remains under government control but is increasingly cut off. On Sunday, Houthi forces severed the main road connecting Taiz to Aden, Yemen's interim capital, effectively encircling it. Analysts say this achieves one of the Houthis' central military objectives: separating Taiz from government-held territory to the south and denying it reinforcement or resupply.
Simultaneously, the Houthis claimed to have launched ballistic missiles and drones at Saudi Aramco installations in Riyadh and the Khurais oil field, stating both strikes caused large fires. Saudi Arabia has not confirmed the claims. The attacks came in response to what the Houthis described as fifty coalition strikes in a twelve-hour period — a cycle of retaliation that underscores how deeply the conflict has escalated since reigniting in July.
The war's roots stretch back to 2014, when the Houthis seized Sanaa and Saudi Arabia assembled a coalition to fight them the following year. More than a decade later, the capital remains in Houthi hands, and despite sustained bombardment, the group continues to make territorial gains. Yemen — already one of the world's poorest nations — faces a deepening humanitarian catastrophe, while the Houthis' demonstrated ability to strike Saudi oil infrastructure has transformed a local war into a threat with global economic consequences. The outcome of al-Alimi's offensive remains deeply uncertain, but the stakes have rarely been higher.
Yemen's internationally recognized government has declared an all-out military campaign to reclaim territory from the Houthis, escalating a conflict that has already reshaped the country's geography and threatened global oil supplies. On Sunday, President Rashad al-Alimi announced in a televised address that military operations would begin immediately to retake all remaining Houthi-held areas and restore state authority across the nation. The declaration came as the two sides exchanged strikes across multiple fronts, with the Iran-backed Houthis claiming successful attacks on Saudi Aramco facilities and the Saudi-led coalition intensifying bombardments on Houthi positions from the capital Sanaa to the group's northern stronghold in Saada.
The timing of al-Alimi's announcement reflects the strategic shock of the Houthis' offensive last month, when the group seized control of Yemen's entire Red Sea coastline in a rapid military campaign. That victory gave the Houthis command of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, one of the world's most critical shipping lanes, and blocked Saudi Arabia from using the Red Sea as an alternative export route for its oil. The move also served the interests of Iran, the Houthis' primary backer, by disrupting regional commerce and challenging Saudi dominance. Security analysts say al-Alimi would not have made such a significant military announcement without approval from Saudi Arabia, which remains the financial and military backbone of his government.
The current fighting centers on the city of Taiz, which remains under government control but is increasingly isolated. On Sunday, the Houthis cut the main supply route connecting Taiz to Aden, Yemen's interim capital, effectively encircling the city. According to three Yemeni military sources cited by AFP, the Houthis now control the corridor, achieving what one analyst described as their core military objective of separating Taiz from government-held territory to the south. Farea Al-Muslimi, a researcher at Chatham House, told AFP that while the Houthis had not yet fully captured Taiz itself, they had successfully isolated it from reinforcement and resupply.
The Houthis' military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed on Sunday that the group had launched ballistic missiles and drones against Aramco installations in Riyadh and the Khurais oil field in eastern Saudi Arabia. Saree stated that both operations achieved their objectives and caused large fires at the targeted sites. Saudi Arabia has not yet responded to the claims, though it has previously dismissed some Houthi statements as false and mocked the group for exaggerating its military successes. The attacks underscore the economic stakes of the conflict: Saudi Arabia's oil infrastructure remains vulnerable to Houthi strikes, and any sustained campaign against it could ripple through global energy markets.
The Houthis said their strikes were retaliation for what they described as fifty Saudi-led coalition strikes conducted over a twelve-hour period. The coalition has continued its own offensive, with government forces striking Houthi targets across the country on Saturday, including positions in Sanaa, Saada, and near Taiz. Houthi-run media reported at least two people wounded in coalition strikes on Sunday. The cycle of attack and counterattack reflects the intensity of the conflict, which reignited in July after several years of relative quiet.
Yemen's war began in 2014 when the Houthis seized Sanaa from the Saudi-backed government and expanded their control northward. Saudi Arabia intervened militarily in 2015, assembling an international coalition that has fought the group for over a decade. Sanaa, the capital, has been held by the Houthis for more than ten years and remains under sustained attack as government forces attempt to degrade the group's military capacity. Yet despite these offensives, security sources indicate the Houthis continue to advance territorially.
The conflict unfolds against the backdrop of Yemen's status as one of the world's poorest nations, already suffering from a vast humanitarian crisis. The renewed fighting threatens to deepen that catastrophe while also raising the prospect of economic disruption far beyond Yemen's borders. The Houthis' control of the Red Sea coast and their demonstrated ability to strike Saudi oil facilities have made them a direct threat to global energy stability. As al-Alimi's government prepares for a major military push, the outcome remains uncertain, but the stakes—for Yemen, for Saudi Arabia, and for the world economy—have never been higher.
Notable Quotes
Today, I announce the start of military operations to retake the remaining territory of the republic and extend the authority of the state and its institutions across the entire national territory.— President Rashad al-Alimi, in televised address
They've achieved the military objective of isolating Taiz from Aden, even if they haven't fully taken control of it.— Farea Al-Muslimi, Chatham House research fellow
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