Yemen's al-Alimi announces military operation to retake Houthi-held territory

October 4, 2026 at 07:15 PM2 min

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Yemeni President Rashad al-Alimi announced the start of a major military operation against the Iran-backed Houthis on Sunday, aimed at retaking territory under their control. The Houthis said they launched ballistic missiles and drones at Saudi Aramco sites in Riyadh and Khurais, claiming major fires, in response to 50 Saudi-led strikes on Yemen in the past 12 hours. Saudi Arabia has not confirmed the attacks.

Key Facts

Yemeni President Rashad al-Alimi announced the start of military operations to retake remaining territory from the Houthis in a televised address on Sunday.
The Houthis claimed they launched ballistic missiles and drones at Saudi Aramco sites in Riyadh and Khurais, causing major fires.
Al-Alimi said all opportunities for de-escalation had been exhausted and accused the Houthis of responding to calm efforts with further mobilisation.
The US is providing intelligence to support Riyadh's operations in Yemen, while some regional and European nations provide mainly defensive military aid.
The Houthis seized the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait weeks ago in a lightning offensive that saw government forces collapse.

Military Operation Announcement

President Rashad al-Alimi ordered the armed forces, security forces, and all military formations to begin carrying out their assigned tasks under approved plans. He said the decision came after all opportunities for de-escalation had been exhausted, accusing the Houthis of responding to calm efforts with further mobilisation and escalation. Al-Alimi thanked Saudi Arabia for standing alongside Yemen in the darkest circumstances and called on regional allies and international partners to support the country.

Houthi Response and Regional Context

The Houthis said they launched ballistic missiles and drones at Saudi Aramco sites in Riyadh and the Khurais area, claiming the attacks caused major fires. They said the attacks were in response to 50 Saudi-led air and missile strikes on Yemen in the past 12 hours. Saudi Arabia entered Yemen's civil war in 2015 at the head of an Arab coalition in support of the internationally recognised government, which the Houthis had driven out of the capital Sanaa. A truce agreed in 2022 largely held until this year, when the Houthis launched missile and drone attacks on Saudi shipping and oil infrastructure in a spillover from the Iran war.

International Support and Ground Situation

The US is already providing intelligence to support Riyadh's operations in Yemen, while some regional and European nations are providing mainly defensive military aid to the kingdom. The Houthis have so far maintained the initiative on the ground, weeks after seizing the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait in a lightning offensive down the coast that saw government forces collapse.