Yemen's civil war has escalated with the head of the presidential council, Rashad al-Alimi, announcing a new military operation to retake all territory held by Iran-backed Houthi fighters. In a statement, al-Alimi called on armed forces, security forces, and military formations to begin carrying out their assigned missions to liberate the country from Houthi control. This move comes after a rapid Houthi offensive last month seized large swaths of the Red Sea coastline.
The Houthi group has effectively encircled the southwestern city of Taiz after cutting the main supply route to the government-held city. Several security sources confirmed that Houthi fighters took control of the al-Safiya area, cutting the main road and seizing the police station. This development has left Taiz city under government control but besieged from the north, east, and west by Houthi fighters, remaining one of the main fronts in Yemen's civil war.
The city of Taiz has been a key battleground in the conflict, with heavy fighting reported in and around the city between Houthi fighters and government forces. The Houthis have also halted traffic on the main road linking Taiz to Aden, with ongoing fighting in the area. According to Farea Al-Muslimi, a research fellow at Chatham House, the Houthis have achieved their military objective of isolating Taiz from Aden.
The Yemeni government's air capabilities remain limited, and experts believe recent Saudi strikes against Houthi targets have most likely been conducted by Saudi warplanes. The strikes come amid escalating violence, with Yemen's government reporting airstrikes against Houthi positions around the country, including in the capital Sanaa and near Taiz.
The conflict in Yemen has resulted in a vast humanitarian crisis, with the country being one of the poorest in the world. The war reignited in July against the backdrop of the widening Middle East conflict, with fighting intensifying in September as Houthi fighters launched a lightning offensive seizing Yemen's entire Red Sea coast.
The Houthi blockade on Saudi energy exports has added to the crisis, with Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz already squeezing Saudi energy exports. Yemen's war erupted in 2014 when Houthi fighters seized the capital Sanaa from the Saudi-backed government, prompting Riyadh to intervene in the war the following year as the head of the international coalition.
The international community remains concerned about the escalating violence in Yemen, with the country facing a severe humanitarian crisis. The announcement of a new military operation by Rashad al-Alimi marks a significant escalation in the conflict, with the outcome uncertain.
Key points
- Yemen's presidential council head Rashad al-Alimi announces military operation to retake Houthi-held territories
- Houthi fighters cut off main supply route to government-held city of Taiz
- Conflict results in vast humanitarian crisis, with Yemen being one of the poorest countries in the world
