Yemen's Government Escalates Strikes Against Houthis as Saudi Arabia Considers Major Offensive

Smoke rises from a fire at the Aramco refinery south of Riyadh (Reuters)

Yemen's internationally recognised government has launched strikes against Iran-aligned Houthi targets in the capital Sanaa and the northern province of Saada, escalating military operations against the rebels amid growing tensions over control of the Red Sea. According to Reuters, Yemen's armed forces said they were conducting strikes against what they described as “vital targets” in Houthi-held areas. Houthi-run Al Masirah television, meanwhile, reported that Saudi Arabia had carried out an attack on Sanaa, although Riyadh had not immediately confirmed the claim. Yemen's armed forces said early on Sunday that they were conducting strikes against Iran-aligned Houthi forces in the capital Sanaa and the Houthi stronghold of Saada. The latest strikes mark a renewed escalation between the Saudi-backed Yemeni government and the Houthis. Fighting between the two sides had largely stopped after a 2022 truce, but hostilities resumed this year after the Houthis declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia in July and began attacking Saudi territory and shipping. Saudi Arabia has responded with airstrikes in Yemen while backing government forces fighting to push back the Houthis, according to Reuters. Houthi-run Al Masirah TV reported that Saudi Arabia had carried out an attack on Sanaa. Reuters said there was no immediate confirmation from Saudi Arabia of the reported attack. The Houthi claim came amid a wider escalation with Saudi Arabia. On October 3, the Houthis also claimed they had attacked an Aramco facility in Riyadh with ballistic missiles and drones, describing the strike as retaliation for Saudi-led attacks on Sanaa and other parts of Yemen.

Saudi Arabia plans major offensive

The latest strikes come as Saudi Arabia prepares for a potentially much larger military operation against the Houthis. Reuters reported that Riyadh is considering an offensive aimed at reversing recent Houthi gains along Yemen's Red Sea coast and regaining control of the strategic Bab el-Mandeb strait. The planned operation would be led on the ground by Yemeni forces overseen by Saudi Arabia and supported by Saudi airstrikes. According to six regional and Western officials cited by Reuters, more than 100,000 Yemeni troops could be mobilised, depending on the scale of the offensive. Saudi officials are considering either a narrowly focused assault around Bab el-Mandeb or a broader, multi-front campaign involving coordinated attacks in Al-Bayda, Marib, Taiz and Al-Jawf. Reuters reported that the timing remains uncertain, with estimates ranging from within weeks to after the US midterm elections in November.