Yemen’s Saudi-backed government announced Sunday that a major military operation has begun to retake territory controlled by the Iran-backed Houthis.

President Rashad al-Alimi said in a televised address that the operation aims to extend state authority across Yemen. Reuters previously reported that Saudi Arabia was expected to lead aerial combat while Yemeni forces fought on the ground.

Strategic Red Sea corridor

The announcement follows recent Houthi gains around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the southern exit of the Red Sea and a crucial route for shipping between Asia and the Mediterranean.

Military sources told Reuters that Houthi forces also advanced on strategic hills near Taiz and toward the last road linking the city with Aden, where the internationally recognized government is based.

Control of that road could effectively besiege Taiz and further complicate efforts to regain coastal territory.

Humanitarian danger

The escalation threatens to deepen Yemen’s humanitarian crisis. The World Food Programme said last week that fighting had displaced tens of thousands of people and disrupted supplies to millions, with three in four families in parts of the country going hungry.

Claims made by the combatants about territorial control and military objectives remain subject to independent verification.

Source: Reuters, October 4.

Lead image: flag of Yemen from Wikimedia Commons; not a photograph of the offensive.