The Yemeni government announces the start of a massive military operation against the Houthis

(CNN) - The Saudi-backed Yemeni government announced, on Sunday, the start of a broad military operation aimed at repelling the progress made by the Iranian-backed Yemeni Houthi group during the recent period.

Last month, the Iran-backed Houthis launched a lightning attack along the Red Sea coast and were able to control a major port, which increased pressure on the security of international navigation.

The head of the Yemeni Presidential Command Council, Rashad Al-Alimi, said in a televised speech on Sunday that the military operations aim to restore the lands that the Houthis still control, and re-establish state authority in various parts of the country.

A military attack was widely expected, in light of dozens of Saudi air strikes on Houthi positions, as well as the Houthis making further progress in southern Yemen.

Al-Alimi said that the decision to begin operations came in the wake of "the Houthi militias' continued mobilization, escalation and attacks, as well as their threats to civilians, facilities, neighboring countries and international shipping lanes."

Al-Alimi stressed, “Moving from the stage of preparation and preparation, to the stage of liberation after exhausting all opportunities for calm,” adding: “Based on our constitutional responsibility to protect the sovereignty of the Republic and its citizens, and based on the decisions of the National Defense Council, and after completing the necessary procedures and measures, I announce today the start of military operations to restore what remains of the Republic’s lands, and extend the authority of the state and its institutions over the entire national territory.”

Al-Alimi indicated that he issued his directives to the armed and security forces and all military formations "to begin implementing their assigned tasks, in accordance with the approved plans, until the country is liberated from the burden of the terrorist Houthi militia."

The Houthis reported that Saudi Arabia launched air strikes on the capital, Sanaa, on Saturday, then renewed the raids early on Sunday. The "Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen" led by Saudi Arabia did not confirm the occurrence of these raids.

In response to more than 50 air strikes targeting Sanaa and other areas, the Houthis claimed on Sunday that they had targeted vital energy facilities in Saudi Arabia.

A Houthi military statement said: “The first attack targeted Aramco in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, while the second targeted Aramco in the Khurais region,” adding that the attacks caused large fires to break out in the targeted sites.

The Saudi authorities did not comment on these alleged attacks.

The renewed fighting has already led to the displacement of tens of thousands of people from their homes, while future developments may affect the balance of power in Yemen, as well as causing further disruption to shipping traffic through the Red Sea.

In early September, the Houthis took control of large areas of the Yemeni coast on the Red Sea, extending south to the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which is a vital passage for commercial ships heading towards the Indian Ocean.

The Houthis announced that they would target Saudi ships trying to cross the strait, threatening to impose additional pressure on global trade routes and energy transport routes.

Since late July, the Houthis have launched ballistic missiles and drones towards multiple targets in Saudi Arabia, including industrial and energy facilities.

Much of the fighting has recently been concentrated in the Taiz region in southern Yemen, where the Houthis sought to cut off supply lines and isolate government forces in the region's capital.

The Houthis said on Sunday that they had taken control of a main highway linking Taiz to the Yemeni government headquarters in Aden.