Yemen's government announces military offensive to retake Houthi-held territory

Yemen's internationally recognized government, led by Presidential Leadership Council head Rashad al-Alimi, has launched a major military offensive to retake all territory controlled by Iran-backed Houthi rebels. Backed by an intensified Saudi-led coalition air campaign involving 100 fighter jets, government forces are fighting to reverse recent Houthi gains along the Red Sea coast and the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait. The escalation follows the Houthis' capture of Turbah and the cutting of vital supply lines, which has effectively encircled the key city of Taiz and displaced over 145,000 civilians.

Yemeni government launches military offensive

• ▪Rashad al-Alimi, head of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council, announced on October 4, 2026, the start of a major military operation to retake all territory held by the Houthi rebels
• ▪Yemeni government forces seized key positions and took control of large parts of the Dhubab district overlooking the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait with heavy Saudi-led coalition air support
• ▪Yemen's government-allied Giants Brigades and other pro-government forces launched a military operation dubbed "Yemen Dawn" targeting Houthi positions in the Bab el-Mandeb and Dhubab areas

Saudi-led coalition provides air support

• ▪The Houthi media office and Al-Masirah TV reported multiple Saudi-led coalition airstrikes on Houthi-controlled territories, including the capital Sanaa, Saada, and al-Jawf
• ▪Saudi-led coalition spokesperson Major General Turki al-Malki announced that 100 fighter jets were providing full operational air support to Yemeni government forces fighting the Houthis

Houthi advances in Taiz province

• ▪The Institute for the Study of War stated that Houthi control of Turbah severely constrains the Yemeni government's ability to reinforce and resupply front-line positions across Taiz province
• ▪Houthi forces cut the vital al-Safiya supply route on October 4, 2026, halting traffic on the main road and effectively encircling the government-held city of Taiz
• ▪The Houthi rebels captured the town of Turbah on October 4, 2026, which sits on a main road linking the provincial capital of Taiz with the government's interim capital of Aden

Impact on Taiz province

• ▪Yemen's health ministry announced on October 2, 2026, that health facilities in coastal, western, and southern areas of Taiz province had closed or were barely functioning
• ▪Fierce fighting in and around the western province of Taiz and neighboring Lahj killed at least 34 government troops and 39 Houthi fighters between October 3 and October 4, 2026

Houthi Red Sea blockade

• ▪Houthi forces seized the strategic Red Sea city of Mokha and several Red Sea islands in early September 2026, enabling them to control the Yemeni side of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait
• ▪Houthi rebels declared a blockade on Saudi Arabia's Red Sea ports in July 2026 and repeatedly targeted Saudi ships in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait

Houthi-Saudi conflict escalation

• ▪Yemen's conflict with the Houthis escalated in mid-July 2026 when the Houthis accused Saudi Arabia of bombing the Sanaa airport to block an unauthorized Iranian flight
• ▪Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed the group launched ballistic missiles and drones targeting Saudi Aramco sites in Riyadh and the Khurais area on October 4, 2026

Humanitarian crisis

• ▪The World Food Programme reported that three-in-four families in parts of Yemen were going hungry due to the surge in fighting between government forces and the Houthis
• ▪The escalation of fighting between Yemen's government forces and the Houthi rebels has displaced over 145,000 people internally and forced more than 3,000 others to flee across the Red Sea to Djibouti, according to United Nations agencies

Debatable claims

• ▪Yemen's military offensive to retake all Houthi territory is unrealistic
• ▪Securing the Bab el-Mandeb Strait justifies the humanitarian cost of the offensive
• ▪Saudi Arabia's military intervention in Yemen does more harm than good