Yemen’s Government Announces Major Offensive Against Houthis as Fighting Nears Taiz and Bab el-Mandeb
The announcement comes weeks after the Houthis seized the Red Sea coast, as UN agencies report mass displacement and the group claims new strikes on Saudi energy sites.
YEMEN — Yemen's internationally recognized government announced a major military operation on Sunday, October 4, 2026, aimed at retaking territory held by the Houthis, weeks after a Houthi offensive in Yemen put the Iran-backed group in control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Rashad al-Alimi, head of the Presidential Leadership Council, made the announcement from Saudi Arabia and called on the international community to support the government.
The Houthis have held the initiative on the ground in recent weeks, according to Reuters, and have been pushing forward near the southwestern city of Taiz. The size, objectives and...