Yemen’s internationally recognised government says its forces conducted 133 operations against the Houthi armed group, also known as Ansar Allah, during the 24 hours before Tuesday. Army spokesperson Colonel Majed al-Nuzaili said the operations targeted Houthi capabilities and personnel and involved army units stationed along front lines.
The escalation follows a Houthi claim of an attack near al-Makha, or Mocha, in Taiz province, on a Saudi-led coalition landing ship and four accompanying warships. Fighting has spread across several provinces, raising fears that a years-long informal calm has ended.
Where the fighting is taking place
Clashes and attacks have been reported in Marib, al-Jawf, Hadramout, Hodeidah, Taiz, al-Dhale and Lahj. The Houthis control vast areas of northern Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa, while the internationally recognised government holds other areas with support from a Saudi-led coalition.
Marib has seen clashes along a broad front and Houthi missile and drone strikes on government positions, Marib city and displacement camps. The province hosts more than two million displaced people. In Taiz, government forces hold Taiz city while the Houthis control areas to its north; al-Makha has been repeatedly targeted since August 9, including an attack that killed at least seven people and injured 35 others.
Related coverage: Yemen government reports deadly Houthi missile attack on al-Makha.
How the latest escalation began
The two sides began mobilising fighters in late June as regional tensions increased during the United States-Iran war, according to the source report. In July, a Yemeni government strike on Sanaa airport, which the government said was intended to stop an Iranian plane from landing, prompted the Houthis to declare a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia and announce a general mobilisation.
The Houthis then intensified attacks on Red Sea shipping and Saudi oil facilities. On August 6, government forces launched what they called a preemptive operation against Houthi weapons-smuggling routes. A heavy Houthi bombardment followed, leading to further escalations.
What each side says and what may come next
The Houthis say the escalation is intended to prevent a Saudi blockade. Hamid Asim, deputy governor of Sanaa in the Houthi administration, accused Riyadh of initiating the escalation by bombing Sanaa airport and said Houthi forces were defending themselves. Riyadh has denied those accusations and says it will continue supporting Yemen’s government through the Saudi-led Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen, which has operated since 2015.
More context: Marib hit by missiles and drones as Yemen tensions rise.
Analysts differ on the likely outcome. Military and strategic affairs expert Ali al-Dhahab said a full-scale confrontation was unlikely soon because regional conditions did not yet support a decisive battle with guaranteed results, although a major confrontation could occur before the end of the year. Brigadier General Abdul Rahman al-Rubaie said the balance had shifted toward government forces and that a decisive result would require a Yemeni decision backed by regional and international support.
Also read: Government drones challenge Houthi battlefield advantage in Yemen.
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