Yemen's internationally recognised government has launched a Yemen offensive against Houthis as fighting intensifies around Taiz, the Aden road and the Red Sea coast. Rashad al-Alimi says the campaign aims to restore state authority across the country after major recent Houthi territorial gains.
Alimi Plan
Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council, announced the new military campaign in a televised address on Sunday. He said armed forces, security units and allied formations had been instructed to carry out an approved plan aimed at retaking territory held by the Iran-aligned Houthi movement.
Al-Alimi said government institutions would remain on full alert until the operation achieves its objectives. His government, backed by Saudi Arabia and internationally recognised, has operated largely from Aden since the Houthis seized Sanaa and much of northern Yemen in 2014.
Taiz Battle
The announcement follows a sharp escalation around Taiz, one of Yemen's most strategically important cities. Military and security sources reported that Houthi forces advanced around key hill positions and cut the main supply route linking Taiz with Aden after taking the al-Safiya area.
Taiz itself remains under governm
ent control, but disruption of the road increases pressure on the city and complicates the movement of troops, food and other supplies. The route is particularly important because Aden serves as the interim seat of Yemen's internationally recognised government.
Aden Road
Control of the Taiz-Aden corridor could have wider consequences for southern Yemen. Military sources said fighting remains active along the route, while Houthi advances have strengthened their position around the approaches to Taiz.
The government now faces the challenge of reopening supply lines while preparing a much broader counteroffensive. Any prolonged disruption could deepen Yemen's humanitarian crisis, which has already displaced large numbers of civilians and left communities struggling with shortages of food and basic supplies.
Red Sea
The conflict has also gained international significance because of recent Houthi advances along Yemen's Red Sea coast. The group seized Mocha and strategic positions around the Bab al-Mandeb area in September, strengthening its influence near one of the world's most important maritime routes.
Bab al-Mandeb connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and forms a critical shipping corridor linking Europe and Asia. Continued fighting around the coast therefore carries risks far beyond Yemen, including potential disruption to commercial shipping and regional energy flows.
Houthi Losses
Colonel Majed Abdullah al-Nazili, a spokesman for forces aligned with the internationally recognised government, said 257 precision operations targeted Houthi positions, movements and military capabilities on Saturday. He claimed initial estimates showed around 700 Houthi fighters had been killed.
That death toll has been presented by the government side and has not been independently verified. The Saudi-led coalition separately reported dozens of additional targeting operations around the Tor al-Baha front and Taiz axis as fighting intensified.
The latest escalation signals a major new phase in Yemen's long-running war. Even with the government's nationwide offensive under way, the Houthis retain significant territory and remain capable of mounting attacks, leaving the outcome of the campaign highly uncertain.
