Forces loyal to Yemen’s internationally recognized government launched a counteroffensive against Houthi rebels in Taiz, al-Bayda, and al-Jawf, vowing to retake Sanaa. The military escalation follows a major Houthi offensive toward al-Makha and intense fighting that has left hundreds dead or wounded since late August.
Forces loyal to Yemen’s internationally recognized government launched a coordinated counteroffensive against Houthi rebels, vowing to recapture the capital of Sanaa from the Iran-backed group. Fighting escalated sharply across several provinces, marking the most serious military confrontation since a United Nations-brokered truce halted large-scale conflict in 2022.
Government Counterattacks and Territorial Focus
Government forces, backed by Saudi Arabia, claimed to have carried out rocket and drone strikes against Houthi positions as intensive ground battles unfolded across Taiz, al-Bayda, and al-Jawf. Rashad al-Alimi, the head of Yemen’s Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council, announced sweeping gains following operations across al-Jawf, al-Bayda, Taiz, and Hodeidah.
Our armed forces will continue to carry out their constitutional duty until state institutions are restored and their authority extends over the entire territory of Yemen.
According to a press release, 181 military operations were executed within a 24-hour period using drones, artillery, and rocket launchers to target Houthi positions and weapons depots across multiple contested frontlines. The operations were concentrated along contact lines and included sectors and axes in Marib, Taiz, al-Dhalea, Lahj, Shabwa, Hajjah, Saada, al-Hodeidah, Abyan, and other confrontation zones, achieving direct hits on designated targets.
Strategic Frontlines and Houthi Retaliation
The renewed hostilities followed a prior Houthi push to advance through western Taiz and southern Hodeidah toward the Red Sea port city of al-Makha and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. Ahmed al-Shalafi, Al Jazeera’s Yemen affairs editor, noted that government forces appear to have absorbed the initial shock of the rebel offensive and expanded the fighting across several fronts to stretch Houthi forces and increase pressure on them. Al-Jawf holds critical importance due to its border with Saudi Arabia and connection to Saada, the Houthis’ main stronghold, while al-Bayda sits centrally and connects eight governorates.
Commercial and civilian infrastructure has suffered heavily in the crossfire. The director of al-Makha port reported that recent Houthi strikes involving more than 25 missiles killed seven people and forced a temporary suspension of all commercial and maritime port operations. Additional reporting from the official television channel Saba noted that the Houthis launched a new attack using missiles and drones on al-Makha, while the Houthi-controlled Saba news agency stated that forces loyal to the Ansar Allah movement targeted Saudi military reinforcements in al-Makha and Marib.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization reported that at least 728 people have been killed or wounded since August 23, with approximately 21,000 residents displaced from Taiz alone. The Houthis stated they repelled an offensive in al-Jawf and claimed at least seven people were killed in an air strike on a prison in al-Hazm, blaming Riyadh for the attack. Saudi Arabia accused the Houthis of wounding at least 73 civilians in southern provincial attacks and promised a response to the escalation.
Official Objectives and Civilian Warnings
Yemeni Deputy Defence Minister Major-General Samir Al-Sabri confirmed on state television that the government decided to retake the capital. Majid al-Nuzaili, a spokesman for government-aligned forces, stated that the campaign aims to liberate Yemen from the grip of the Houthis and restore Sanaa as a capital for all Yemenis.
In connection with the advancing offensive, military authorities issued a safety alert directing civilians to avoid major transit routes connecting Sanaa to Marib and al-Jawf, specifically naming roads running through Nihm, Sirwah, Mahliyah, and al-Hazm as active combat zones.
