Saudi Backed Yemeni Forces Launch Offensive Against Houthis Along Red Sea

Yemen's internationally recognized government has launched a campaign aimed at recapturing all Houthi-held territory. Bloomberg reported the announcement on October 5 after weeks of escalating conflict between the Iran-backed group and Saudi Arabia, which supports the government.

The fighting also threatened a key domestic connection. According to Deutsche Welle, the government announced its offensive after Houthi rebels cut the road linking Taiz with Aden.

Airstrikes were already hitting Houthi-held Sanaa. On October 4, Middle East Eye published footage of smoke and people trying to extinguish a fire at a foam factory following a Saudi airstrike.

On October 5, the Saudi-led coalition announced it was joining the government offensive, Franceinfo reported. The coalition said it attacked 324 "high-value targets" using 100 fighter jets, according to Sky News.

The coastal push focused on Bab al-Mandab Strait. Government forces claimed control of the Dhubab district and strategic positions overlooking the waterway, while the Houthis denied those gains, Adnkronos reported on October 5.

That day, Yemen's Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani said government forces had secured effective control of the strait, although fighting continued nearby, according to South China Morning Post. Separately, Mint cited state-run Saba as saying government forces had retaken Mocha after battles with the Houthis.

The Houthis also claimed attacks inside Saudi Arabia on October 5. According to News18, they said their targets included Riyadh's international airport, the Aramco refinery in Rabigh, military sites and smaller airports in southern Saudi Arabia.

By October 6, the Yemeni military said it had carried out more than 1,000 strikes and begun an offensive against Houthi-held Sanaa, The Hindu reported. Meanwhile, Saudi aviation authorities reported three people wounded, severe injuries and damage following Houthi strikes on Jazan and Najran airports, according to Al Jazeera.

The government's reported territorial gains remain disputed. On October 6, Le Monde reported that the Houthis denied any retreat from areas they controlled, while the government claimed victories on several fronts. Japan Times described the advance around Bab al-Mandab as one that, if confirmed, would loosen the Houthis' grip on a vital Red Sea oil route.

The fighting is not confined to the coast. Yemen's government said on October 6 that its forces were inflicting heavy losses in personnel and equipment on Houthi fighters in Taiz, according to Middle East Eye. That remains a government claim, rather than an established measure of the battle's outcome.

The immediate issue is whether government forces can establish and hold the control they claim around Dhubab, Mocha and the strait. Continued fighting near the waterway, reported by South China Morning Post, and Houthi denials reported by Le Monde leave that unresolved.

The announced offensive against Sanaa and further attacks on Saudi infrastructure are the other fronts to follow. Analysts cited by South China Morning Post warned that renewed Saudi bombing of the Houthis was increasing the risk of direct conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran.