Yemen’s Saudi-backed government has launched a major military offensive to retake all territories held by Iran-backed Houthi rebels. Rashad al-Alimi, head of the presidential council, announced the operations to extend state authority across the entire national territory. This push comes after the Houthis cut a vital supply route linking the city of Taiz with Aden and following a Houthi offensive in September that resulted in hundreds of combatant deaths on both sides.
Government forces staged a lightning advance to reclaim the coast around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Forces retook the Red Sea city of Mocha, which rebels had used to disrupt tanker traffic, as well as the towns of Dhubab, Bab, and Hadeid. These strategic gains are intended to reverse previous Houthi advances and loosen the rebels' grip on a vital Red Sea oil route.
The offensive is supported by a Saudi-led coalition under Operation Dawn of Yemen, which deployed 100 fighter jets to provide air protection. This campaign has destroyed hundreds of Houthi targets along the Red Sea coastline and in the capital, Sana’a. In response to the government push, the Houthis reported that they have attacked key locations in Saudi Arabia.