Yemen's government forces launch major counteroffensive to retake Houthi-held Sanaa

Yemen's government announced Monday that it has begun a major military push to recapture Sanaa, the capital city that Houthi rebels have controlled since 2014. Deputy Defence Minister Samir Al-Sabri made the declaration on state television, framing the operation as a restoration of state authority after more than a decade of Houthi rule. The announcement came as fighting intensified across multiple provinces, particularly in al-Bayda and al-Jawf, which serve as the primary routes into the capital from the south and east.

This escalation represents the most serious outbreak of large-scale combat since a United Nations-brokered ceasefire took hold in 2022, a truce that had been intended to evolve into a lasting political settlement. That effort has now collapsed. Fighting resumed in July when government forces struck Houthi-controlled Sanaa airport, blocking an Iranian aircraft from landing. Last week, the Houthis launched their own major offensive, pushing through western Taiz and southern Hodeidah toward the Red Sea port of al-Makha and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a waterway of enormous strategic importance for global shipping and for Saudi oil exports, particularly since Iran began restricting passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

The scale of the fighting has expanded rapidly across Yemen's geography. What began as concentrated clashes west of Taiz and south of Hodeidah has now spread to six provinces: al-Dhalea, Marib, al-Jawf, and al-Bayda, in addition to the original conflict zones. Al-Jawf holds particular significance because it borders Saudi Arabia and connects to Saada, the Houthis' main stronghold in the north. Al-Bayda sits at Yemen's geographic center and links eight governorates—four in the north and four in the south—making control of it strategically vital for any force seeking to dominate the country.

The human toll has been severe and climbing. The World Health Organization reported on Monday that nearly 900 people have been killed or wounded since Thursday alone, with the heaviest casualties concentrated in Taiz and along the western coast. In Taiz province alone, approximately 21,000 people—roughly 3,000 families—have been displaced from their homes. Health officials indicated that the casualty figures would likely rise as fighting continues and medical assessments catch up with the scale of the violence.

Rashad al-Alimi, head of Yemen's Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council, claimed on Monday that government forces had achieved significant territorial gains in al-Jawf, al-Bayda, Taiz, and Hodeidah. He stated that the armed forces would persist in their campaign until state institutions were restored and government authority extended across all of Yemen's territory. He accused the Houthis of rejecting peace in favor of escalation and warned they would bear full responsibility for the consequences. A spokesman for the government-aligned forces, Majid al-Nuzaili, framed the operation's objective as liberating Yemen from Houthi control and restoring Sanaa as a capital for all Yemenis. He also issued a warning to civilians to avoid major roads leading into the capital, specifically routes connecting Sanaa to Marib and al-Jawf through towns including Nihm, Sirwah, Mahliyah, and al-Hazm.

The government's military media center reported conducting air strikes against Houthi positions west of Taiz on Tuesday and claimed attacks on Yatma in al-Jawf, describing their forces as engaged in intensive ground battles in that province. They also reported advancing to the outskirts of Dhi Na'im district in al-Bayda. The Houthis, for their part, claimed they repelled a large-scale government advance toward the al-Labanat mountains in al-Jawf and said they struck government reinforcements with ballistic missiles, destroying or damaging dozens of vehicles and killing or wounding commanders. Neither side's claims could be independently verified.

The renewed fighting occurs against a backdrop of broader regional instability. The 2022 truce had been negotiated with hopes that it would create space for a political resolution, but those diplomatic efforts have faltered amid tensions stemming from the United States and Israel's military campaign against Iran. The Houthis, who are backed by Iran, have declared a blockade against Saudi vessels transiting the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a move that underscores how Yemen's internal conflict has become entangled with larger regional power struggles. The strait's importance has grown for Saudi Arabia as an alternative shipping route since Iran began restricting passage through the Strait of Hormuz. What began as a civil conflict over control of Yemen has evolved into a struggle with implications for global energy markets and maritime security.