Yemen’s Saudi-backed government announces major offensive against Iran-backed Houthis

Ahmad Al-Basha/AFP/Getty Images

‌Yemen’s Saudi-backed government has announced the beginning of a major military operation to turn back recent advances by the Houthi militant group.

Last month, the Iran-backed Houthis carried out a lightning offensive down the Red Sea coast, successfully seizing control of a key port and further putting pressure on the safety of international shipping.

The head ​of Yemen’s presidential council, ⁠Rashad al-Alimi, said in a televised speech on Sunday that the ‌military ⁠operations aimed to reclaim the ​remaining ​territory held ‌by Houthis ⁠and restore ​state ​authority across the ⁠country.

An offensive had been widely expected amid dozens of Saudi airstrikes against Houthi positions and further Houthi gains in southern Yemen.

Al-Alimi said the decision to launch operations followed “the Houthi militias’ continued mobilization, escalation and attacks, as well as their threats against civilians, facilities, neighboring countries, and international shipping lanes.”

The Houthis reported Saudi airstrikes against the capital Sanaa Saturday and again early Sunday. The Saudi coalition did not confirm the strikes.

Adel Al Khader/Reuters

In retaliation for more than 50 airstrikes against Sanaa and other locations, the Houthis claimed Sunday that they had struck vital Saudi energy facilities.

“The first targeted Aramco company in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, and the second targeted Aramco company in the Khurais area,” a Houthi military statement said, causing large fires at the targeted sites.

There has been no word from the Saudis on the claimed strikes.

The renewed fighting has already forced tens of thousands of people from their homes, and what happens next could shift the balance of power in Yemen and further disrupt shipping through the Red Sea.

Early in September, the Houthis took a swath of Yemen’s Red Sea coast as far south as the critical Bab al Mandeb waterway, a chokepoint for commercial shipping crossing into the Indian Ocean.

They announced that Saudi shipping trying to use the strait would be targeted, threatening additional pressure on global trade and energy routes.

The Houthis have fired ballistic missiles and drones at multiple targets in Saudi Arabia since late July, including industrial and energy infrastructure.

Much of the recent fighting has been in the southern region of Taiz, as the Houthis have sought to cut off government forces in the regional capital. The Houthis claimed on Sunday to have taken a critical highway linking Taiz with the seat of the Yemeni government in Aden.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

艾哈迈德·阿尔-巴沙/法新社/盖蒂图片社

也门沙特支持的政府宣布开始一项大规模军事行动，以遏制胡塞武装组织最近的攻势。

上个月，伊朗支持的胡塞武装沿红海沿岸发动闪电攻势，成功夺取了一个重要港口的控制权，进一步给国际航运安全带来了压力。

也门总统委员会主席拉沙德·阿里米周日在电视讲话中表示，军事行动旨在收复胡塞武装控制的剩余领土，并恢复全国范围内的国家权威。

在沙特阿拉伯对胡塞武装阵地发动数十次空袭，以及胡塞武装在也门南部取得进一步进展之后，外界普遍预期沙特会发动攻势。

阿利米表示，之所以决定发动军事行动，是因为“胡塞武装持续进行动员、升级冲突和发动袭击，并对平民、设施、邻国和国际航道构成威胁”。

胡塞武装报告称，沙特阿拉伯于周六和周日凌晨对首都萨那发动了空袭。沙特领导的联军尚未证实这些空袭。

阿德尔·阿尔·哈德尔/路透社

为报复沙特对萨那和其他地点发动的 50 多次空袭，胡塞武装周日声称他们袭击了沙特重要的能源设施。

胡塞武装在一份声明中表示：“第一家被袭击目标是位于沙特首都利雅得的沙特阿美公司，第二家被袭击目标是位于胡赖斯地区的沙特阿美公司。”袭击导致目标地点发生大火。

沙特阿拉伯方面尚未对所声称的袭击事件作出任何回应。

新一轮的战斗已经迫使数万人流离失所，接下来的局势可能会改变也门的权力平衡，并进一步扰乱红海的航运。

9月初，胡塞武装占领了也门红海沿岸的大片地区，一直延伸到至关重要的曼德海峡，这是商船进入印度洋的咽喉要道。

他们宣布将对试图使用该海峡的沙特船只进行打击，这有可能给全球贸易和能源航线带来更大的压力。

自7月下旬以来，胡塞武装已向沙特阿拉伯的多个目标发射弹道导弹和无人机，其中包括工业和能源基础设施。

近期的大部分战斗都发生在南部塔伊兹地区，胡塞武装试图切断该地区首府与政府军的联系。胡塞武装周日声称已占领一条连接塔伊兹和也门政府所在地亚丁的关键公路。

这是一则正在更新的新闻。