Yemen’s internationally recognized government announced a military offensive on Sunday, October 4, to retake territory held by the Iran-backed Houthis. Presidential Leadership Council chief Rashad al-Alimi said the aim was to restore state authority nationwide, according to Reuters and government news agency SABA.
The announcement came amid Houthi advances near the southwestern city of Taiz. AP reported that fighting had disrupted a major road linking Taiz with Aden, the seat of the government, making that route a focal point of the renewed confrontation.
Earlier on Sunday, Yemen’s armed forces said they were striking targets in the capital, Sanaa, and the Houthi stronghold of Saada, Reuters reported. A military spokesperson described the targets as vital but gave no further details. The statement did not establish what damage the strikes caused.
Houthi-run Al Masirah television attributed an attack on Sanaa to Saudi Arabia. Reuters said there was no immediate Saudi confirmation. That account and the Yemeni military’s announcement remain separately attributed claims; neither establishes the full extent of Saudi participation in those strikes.
Reuters reported that fighting between the Houthis and forces aligned with the Saudi-backed government had largely halted after a 2022 truce. Renewed hostilities have spilled over from the wider Iran–United States war, adding a regional dimension to Yemen’s confrontation.
Al-Alimi said the campaign would extend state institutions across the country, SABA reported. His announcement sets out an objective rather than confirmed territorial gains. The initial Reuters report gave no detailed assessment of the strikes, leaving their results and the operation’s progress unverified.
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