Yemen Launches Counter‑Offensive Against Iran‑Backed Houthis

Sun Oct 04 2026 16:37:19 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Saudi‑backed Yemeni government has begun a new military operation to reclaim territory from the Houthis amid escalating clashes that threaten regional stability.

Yemen's Saudi‑backed government has launched a counter‑offensive to reclaim land from Iran‑aligned Houthi rebels, following a series of aerial raids that included attacks on Saudi oil sites. President Rashad al‑Alimi announced the campaign after the Houthis reported striking Aramco facilities in retaliation for 50 coalition strikes. The conflict now focuses on the strategic city of Taiz, where rebels have severed the supply line to Aden, tightening pressure on government forces. The escalation threatens regional stability and could affect global oil flows through the Bab al‑Mandab Strait.

Yemen Launches Counter‑Offensive Against Iran‑Backed Houthis

The Saudi‑backed Yemeni government has announced a major military operation to retake territory from the Iran‑backed Houthi rebels, following a series of exchanges of air strikes that have recently targeted oil facilities in Saudi Arabia.

The decision comes after the Houthi movement claimed it struck sites belonging to Saudi national oil company Aramco in response to what it described as 50 air and missile attacks carried out by the Saudi‑led coalition over the past twelve hours.

President Rashad al‑Alimi addressed the nation in a televised speech declaring the start of a “military campaign to retake the remaining territory of the republic” and to extend state authority over the country’s entire territory.

The frontline remains centred on the strategic city of Taiz, a key point the Houthis aim to control to secure access to the Bab al‑Mandab Strait. Recent reports say the rebels have cut the supply route that links Taiz with the Saudi‑backed interim capital of Aden, effectively surrounding the city and tightening the pressure on government forces.

The wider conflict, which began when the Houthis seized the capital of Sanaa in 2014, has intensified amid regional tensions and threatens to disrupt oil shipments through the Red Sea.