emen is heading towards another dangerous escalation after the country’s internationally recognised government declared a major military campaign to reclaim territory controlled by the Houthi movement.
President Rashad al-Alimi announced on Sunday that government forces would begin operations to restore state authority across the country. In a televised address, he said the campaign would seek to retake the remaining Houthi held areas and restore government institutions nationwide, according to BBC News.
The announcement comes after a sharp rise in fighting between the Houthis and forces backed by Saudi Arabia. The Iran-aligned group has expanded its control in recent weeks, including along Yemen’s Red Sea coast and areas around the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait, one of the world’s important shipping routes.
The Houthis have also claimed responsibility for missile and drone attacks against Saudi Arabia, including targets linked to the state oil company Aramco in Riyadh and the oil-rich Khurais region. The group said the attacks caused major fires, although Saudi authorities have not confirmed the claims.
Saudi-backed forces have responded with air strikes on Houthi positions. Houthi run media reported casualties, while Yemen’s government said its forces had attacked targets in Sanaa, Saada and areas near Taiz.
The city of Taiz has become a crucial focus of the conflict. According to reports cited by AFP, Houthi forces have cut an important supply route between Taiz and Aden, the temporary seat of Yemen’s government. The move could leave Taiz effectively surrounded.
The latest escalation threatens to deepen a conflict that began in 2014, when the Houthis seized Sanaa and captured large parts of northern Yemen. Saudi Arabia intervened the following year, leading a coalition in support of the government.
Years of relative calm have now given way to renewed fighting, raising fears of a wider war in a country already facing one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
