Yemen's Saudi-Backed Government Launches Counter-Offensive To Retake All Territory After Houthis Seize Red Sea Chokepoint

Riyadh: Amidst escalating Middle East tension, Yemen is sliding back into full-scale war. After months of relative quiet, the country's Saudi-backed leadership has announced it will launch operations to recover all territory lost to the Houthis, at a moment when the rebels have made their most important coastal gains in years.

The announcement was made by President Rashad al-Alimi on Sunday evening. In a televised statement to the nation, he stated that his administration would no longer hold the positions and would instead push to re-impose state authority across Yemen.

He declared, "Today, I announce the start of military operations to retake the remaining territory of the republic and extend the authority of the state and its institutions across the entire national territory," framing the move as a restoration of sovereignty.

Riyadh Prepares Air Campaign While Houthis Hold Momentum

The counter-push did not emerge in isolation, as for weeks, Saudi Arabia and allied Yemeni factions have been laying groundwork for a joint offensive. The officials in the region and in Western capitals had earlier informed Reuters that the plan envisaged Saudi jets leading the aerial bombardment, with pro-government Yemeni units carrying out the ground assault against Houthi positions.

However, the timing is against the government, as on the ground, the Iran-aligned Houthis have seized the initiative, smashing through defensive lines on the western littoral and taking key coastal terrain. In several sectors, the government forces simply collapsed, allowing the rebels to tighten their control around vital supply corridors.

In a rapid, lightning-style operation, the Houthis have captured the Bab al-Mandab strait, the narrow passage at the southern tip of the Red Sea. It serves as one of the most important maritime chokepoints, connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and linking Europe-Asia shipping.

In today's perspective, the seizure matters more because the Strait of Hormuz is shut due to the confrontation involving Iran and the US. At a time when Hormuz is closed, global energy and container traffic has become even more dependent on Bab el-Mandeb, giving the Houthis outsized strategic leverage at a time when shipping is already disrupted.

Hilltops Near Taiz Captured, City At Risk Of Siege

Now, the rebels have pushed inland, beyond the strait, with the military sources confirming that within the last 48 hours, Houthi units captured strategic hilltops overlooking Taiz. The advance directly threatened the last functioning road that links Taiz to Aden, where the Saudi-backed government is headquartered. In case the road is severed, Taiz, which is Yemen's third largest city, home to hundreds of thousands of civilians and thousands of government-aligned fighters, could be left under effective siege.

Location-wise, the location makes it prized by both camps, as losing the Aden link would isolate government troops and place immense strain on civilians already living in fragile conditions. It would also help the Houthis secure their rear along the Bab el-Mandeb coast.

A former-journalist Mohammed Al-Qadhi stated that the mountains are the key to holding the coastline. As quoted by Reuters, he noted, "This will help them protect their back in case of any operation against the coastline, and make recapturing those areas much more difficult."

President al-Alimi himself is from the Taiz region, so a prolonged battle or siege there would carry political costs beyond the battlefield, bringing a personal dimension to it. Now, the humanitarian cost is visible as last week the World Food Programme warned that 3 in 4 families in parts of Yemen were going hungry as renewed clashes displaced tens of thousands and cut supplies meant for millions.

Why War Returned After The 2022 Truce

Saudi Arabia first entered Yemen in 2015 at the head of an Arab coalition, after Houthi fighters took the capital Sanaa and drove out the internationally recognised government. Riyadh's stated aims were to restore the government, prevent a Houthi consolidation on the southern border, and curb growing Iranian influence over the group.

Meanwhile, the Saudi-led coalition, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), carried out years of air strikes, while the Houthis retaliated with missile and drone attacks on Saudi and Emirati territory. Al though no side achieved a decisive victory, the Houthis held most of north-western Yemen, including densely populated districts, and steadily improved their ability to launch long-range projectiles.

In 2022 the UN managed to broker a truce, which endured and brought a sharp reduction in violence, though the underlying political dispute was never settled. However, the fragile calm has now broken down. This year, Houthi missile and drone strikes targeting Saudi shipping and oil infrastructure resumed amid the war involving Iran, reviving fears for the security of a vital global maritime corridor.

Shipping Chaos

The consequences have been felt beyond the boundaries of Yemen. Between 2023 and 2025, Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea forced many ships sailing between Europe and Asia to abandon the Suez Canal route. The attacks also diverted around the southern tip of Africa, adding thousands of kilometres, fuel costs and delays to global supply chains.

Now, with threats against oil tankers during the Iran war and with Tehran choking traffic through Hormuz, pressure on Bab el-Mandeb and the Red Sea has compounded fears about energy shipments leaving the Gulf. While the Houthis have proven capable of inflicting serious damage with missiles and drones on targets in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, their strikes against more distant locations such as Israel have been far less effective.

Meanwhile, Yemen's infrastructure remains shattered after years of conflict, and millions depend on tenuous supply lines for food and basic goods. Al though tens of thousands newly displaced, hunger worsening, and a major offensive about to begin, the country risks sinking deeper into crisis.