Yemen's Government Announces Major Offensive Against Houthi Rebels

Yemen's internationally recognized government has announced a significant military campaign aimed at recapturing territory from the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The offensive is seen as a potential escalation in the protracted conflict that has devastated the impoverished nation.

The current frontlines remain heavily contested, with the key city of Taiz being a focal point of the ongoing battles. Houthi forces are engaged in fierce fighting with government troops for control of the surrounding region, with the stated aim of securing coastal areas and, by extension, the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait. On Sunday, the Houthis reportedly cut a crucial supply route connecting Taiz to Aden, the interim capital for the Yemeni government. Citing three Yemeni military sources, AFP news agency reported that the Houthis now control this area and supply route, effectively encircling Taiz.

Farea Al-Muslimi, a research fellow at the Chatham House think tank, told AFP that the Houthis "achieved the military objective of isolating Taiz from Aden, even if they haven't fully taken control of it."

Away from the immediate battlefields within Yemen, the Houthis have also intensified their attacks on Saudi Arabia, targeting the kingdom's vital oil infrastructure. On Sunday, the Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed the group launched a ballistic missile and drone attack on Aramco sites in the capital, Riyadh, and the oil-rich Khurais area in the eastern part of the kingdom. Saree stated that "both operations successfully achieved their objectives" and that "the strikes were precise, causing large fires at the targeted sites."

This is not the first time the Houthi group has claimed to hit Saudi oil facilities. Saudi Arabia has previously dismissed some claims as misleading. However, these attacks underscore the potential economic risks for Saudi Arabia and the global economy should the conflict widen.

In response, Saudi Arabia has also been conducting strikes on Houthi targets, according to the Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV channel, which reported at least two people wounded in strikes on Sunday. The Yemeni government also announced on Saturday that its forces had hit Houthi targets across the country, including in Sanaa, Saada, and the group's positions near Taiz.

Yemen has been grappling with a severe humanitarian crisis, exacerbated by a war that began in 2014 when the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, from the Saudi-backed government. Riyadh intervened the following year, leading an international coalition. After a period of relative calm, the conflict reignited in July, amid wider regional tensions. The Houthis have been imposing blockades on Saudi energy exports, which have already been impacted by Iran's actions in the Strait of Hormuz.