Yemen government announces campaign against Houthi forces

Yemen’s internationally recognised government has announced a major military operation against Houthi forces, saying its campaign will continue until territory controlled by the rebels is retaken. President Rashad al-Alimi said in a televised address that the government’s forces would pursue the offensive until Yemen was “liberated from the grip of the terrorist militia”. A military spokesperson later called on the Houthis to surrender their weapons.

The Houthis, formally known as Ansar Allah, have controlled the capital, Sanaa, and large parts of north-western Yemen since 2014. The Saudi-backed government says all attempts to de-escalate the conflict have been exhausted. The announcement followed a Houthi offensive last month that captured the Bab el-Mandeb strait and about 150 kilometres of Red Sea coast, according to the source.

The strategic waterway connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is an important route for international shipping. The Houthis said they had launched missiles and drones at Saudi Aramco sites in Riyadh and the Khurais area. They said the attacks responded to 50 Saudi-led air and missile strikes in Yemen during the previous 12 hours.

Saudi Arabia had not immediately confirmed the claims. Military sources said the Houthis had also made gains near Taiz and advanced towards the last road linking the city with Aden. Control of that route could effectively besiege Taiz, Yemen’s third-largest city.

The escalation has worsened an already serious humanitarian situation. The World Food Programme said last week that three in four families in parts of Yemen were going hungry, while renewed fighting had displaced tens of thousands and disrupted supplies to millions.