The head of Yemen's internationally recognized government has declared a full-scale war to retake all territory held by the Houthis, a rebel movement that originated in the country's north but has subjugated vast areas and the country's capital more than a decade ago.
President Rashad al-Alimi's statement came after exchanges of blows between the Houthis and the coalition led by neighboring Saudi Arabia, which the Houthis are threatening to block oil exports through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean.
The Houthis, allies of Iran, said they carried out strikes on facilities of the Saudi national oil company Aramco, portraying it as a response to 50 strikes carried out by the Saudi coalition in Yemen in half a day. Riyadh did not comment on this statement.
The bellicose statement by the recognized Yemeni government was expected: in September, the Houthis took control of new lands and eventually control of the country’s coast, including the most important sea route through the strait.
In a televised statement on Sunday, Rashad al-Alimi said: “Today I announce the start of military operations to liberate the remaining territory of the republic and extend the power of the state and its institutions throughout the country.”
Yemen's capital, Sanaa, which has been held by the Houthis for more than 10 years, is subject to continuous attacks as government forces try to weaken the enemy's military potential.
Attacks on the Houthis have spread throughout Yemen, including into the northern province of Saada, where the Houthis launched an offensive against the government.
However, security sources say the Iran-backed Houthis continue to gain new ground and the front line remains near the key city of Taiz, which is still under the control of the internationally recognized government.
On Sunday, the Houthis cut off a critical supply route linking Taiz with Aden, the temporary capital of the recognized government, AFP reported.
Citing three Yemeni military sources, AFP also reports that the Houthis now control the area and supply route, effectively encircling Taiz.
“They achieved the military goal of isolating Taiz from Aden, even if they did not establish full control over it,” Farea al-Muslimi, a researcher at the British think tank Chatham House, told AFP.
It seems unlikely that President Al-Alimi would have made such a dramatic statement without the approval of Saudi Arabia, which remains the main source of support for his government.
Saudi Arabia is under constant attack from the Houthis, who are trying to deprive the kingdom of income from oil exports.
On Sunday, Yemen's Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sari said the group had attacked Aramco facilities in Riyadh and the oil-rich Khurais region in the kingdom's east with missiles and drones.
“Both operations successfully achieved their objectives. The strikes were precise and caused large fires at the affected sites,” the statement said.
This is not the first time the Houthis have announced attacks on Saudi oil facilities. Riyadh has not yet commented on the new statement, but it has previously indicated that the Houthi claims are misleading.
However, it once again demonstrated the price that Saudi Arabia—and, by extension, the global economy—could pay if a new full-scale war were to begin against the Houthis.
In response, according to the Houthi-controlled Al-Masirah TV channel, Saudi Arabia is also striking Houthi targets. According to him, at least two people were injured as a result of the attacks on Sunday.
Yemen's government also said Saturday that its troops had carried out strikes against Houthi targets across the country, including in Sanaa, Saada and the group's positions near Taiz.
Yemen is one of the world's poorest countries and remains in the grip of a massive humanitarian crisis.
War broke out in 2014 when the Houthis captured the capital and then seized control of vast areas in the north of the country.
Saudi Arabia has always supported the legitimate government, and in 2015, Riyadh intervened directly in the conflict, gathering a coalition of several states. Yemen was heavily bombed, but Houthi rule in the captured areas remained strong.
