Yemen's Government Declares Total War on Houthis as Fighting Escalates Across the Country

Yemen's internationally recognised government has declared it will launch an all-out military campaign aimed at recapturing every remaining area controlled by the Houthi movement, marking a dramatic escalation in a conflict that has already devastated the country for more than a decade.

The announcement was made by President Rashad al-Alimi in a televised address on Sunday, following several days of intensifying exchanges of fire between the Iran-backed Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition that has long supported his administration.

In his speech, al-Alimi stated that military operations had begun with the objective of restoring state authority over the entire national territory and reclaiming what he described as the remaining occupied parts of the republic. He framed the campaign as an effort to extend the reach of Yemen's legitimate institutions across the whole country.

The declaration came after the Houthis claimed responsibility for missile and drone strikes on facilities belonging to Aramco, Saudi Arabia's state oil company. According to the group's military spokesman, Yahya Saree, the attacks targeted sites in Riyadh as well as the oil-rich Khurais area in eastern Saudi Arabia. He asserted that both operations achieved their goals and caused significant fires at the locations hit.

The Houthis described the strikes as retaliation for what they characterised as fifty strikes carried out by the Saudi-led coalition within a twelve-hour period. Saudi officials have not yet responded to the claims. On previous occasions when the group announced similar attacks, Riyadh dismissed some of the assertions as exaggerated, accusing the Houthis of fabricating victories.

Nevertheless, the targeting of Saudi oil infrastructure underscores the potential economic consequences of a renewed full-scale war. Saudi Arabia's oil exports are a cornerstone of the global energy market, and any sustained disruption to production or transport could reverberate far beyond the region. This reality gives the kingdom's adversaries considerable leverage, even when individual strikes cause limited physical damage.

According to the Houthi-run Al-Masirah television channel, Saudi Arabia has continued its own retaliatory strikes on Houthi positions. The broadcaster reported that at least two people were wounded in attacks on Sunday. The previous day, Yemen's government said its forces had struck Houthi targets in multiple locations, including the capital Sanaa, the northern governorate of Saada, and areas near the south-western city of Taiz.

Sanaa has been under Houthi control for over ten years and has faced persistent bombardment as government forces attempt to degrade the group's military capacity. Saada, regarded as the Houthis' northern stronghold, has also been drawn into the widening campaign.

Despite the government's offensive, security sources indicate that the Houthis continue to make territorial gains. The main front line remains concentrated around Taiz, a strategically important city still held by forces loyal to the internationally recognised government.

On Sunday, the Houthis severed a critical supply route connecting Taiz with Aden, the temporary seat of Yemen's government, according to reports from the AFP news agency. Three Yemeni military sources cited by AFP said the Houthis now control both the area and the road, effectively placing Taiz under siege.

Farea Al-Muslimi, a research fellow at the Chatham House think tank, told AFP that the Houthis had succeeded in their objective of cutting Taiz off from Aden, even without capturing the city outright. His assessment suggests that the group's strategy has focused on isolating government-held enclaves rather than engaging in costly urban battles.

The Houthis' recent offensive, launched last month, saw them take control of large stretches of Yemen's coastline, including the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait. That waterway is a vital conduit for international shipping between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, and its capture significantly strengthens the group's position in any future negotiations or military confrontation.

Analysts believe al-Alimi would not have issued such a forceful declaration without approval from Saudi Arabia, which remains the principal backer of his government. Riyadh's support has been essential to the survival of the internationally recognised administration since the conflict began.

The war in Yemen erupted in 2014, when the Houthis seized the capital from the government. The country, already one of the poorest in the world, has since been gripped by a vast humanitarian crisis, with millions of people displaced and reliant on aid for survival.

The latest escalation risks deepening that suffering further. A full-scale government offensive, combined with continued Houthi attacks on Saudi territory, could prolong the fighting indefinitely and complicate any prospects for a negotiated settlement.

For Saudi Arabia, the conflict represents both a security challenge and an economic vulnerability. Its oil infrastructure remains a prime target for Houthi strikes, and each attack raises the stakes for global energy markets. For Yemen's civilians, however, the consequences are far more immediate: continued displacement, hunger, and the destruction of what remains of the country's battered infrastructure.

With both sides now signalling a willingness to fight on, the coming weeks are likely to determine whether Yemen slides deeper into all-out war or whether international pressure can pull the parties back from the brink.