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

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

President Rashad al-Alimi made the announcement in a televised address on Sunday, stating that military operations would begin immediately to restore state authority over the entire national territory. The declaration represents the most forceful commitment yet by the Yemeni government to roll back the Iran-backed Houthis' territorial gains.

The announcement came after several days of intensifying tit-for-tat strikes between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition that has long supported Yemen's government. The Houthis claimed on Sunday that they had launched a ballistic missile and drone assault on facilities belonging to Saudi state oil giant Aramco, including sites in the capital Riyadh and the oil-rich Khurais region in the kingdom's east.

A Houthi military spokesman, Yahya Saree, said both operations had achieved their objectives and described the strikes as precise, claiming they had ignited large fires at the targeted locations. Saudi Arabia has not yet responded to the claims. The kingdom has previously rejected similar Houthi assertions as misleading, at one point mocking the group for what it called chasing imaginary victories.

The Houthis said their attacks were carried out in retaliation for what they described as 50 Saudi-led coalition strikes conducted within a 12-hour period. According to the Houthi-run Al-Masirah television channel, Saudi Arabia has been conducting strikes on Houthi targets, and at least two people were reported wounded in attacks on Sunday.

President al-Alimi's fiery statement had been widely anticipated following a Houthi offensive last month that saw the group capture control of Yemen's coastline, including the strategically vital Bab al-Mandab Strait. That waterway serves as one of the world's most important maritime chokepoints, and its loss has raised serious concerns about global shipping and energy security.

Analysts believe al-Alimi would not have made such a belligerent announcement without first securing approval from Saudi Arabia, which remains the primary backer of his government. Riyadh has itself come under persistent attack as the Houthis seek to target the kingdom's economic lifeblood—its oil industry.

The human and economic stakes are immense. Yemen is one of the poorest nations on earth and remains in the grip of a vast humanitarian crisis. The war erupted in 2014, when the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, from the internationally recognised government, prompting a Saudi-led military intervention the following year.

On the ground, the fighting remains concentrated around the key city of Taiz, which is still held by government forces. On Sunday, the Houthis cut a vital supply route connecting Taiz with Aden, the interim capital of the Yemeni government, according to the AFP news agency. Citing three Yemeni military sources, AFP reported that the Houthis now control the area and the supply route, effectively encircling Taiz.

"They've achieved the military objective of isolating Taiz from Aden, even if they haven't fully taken control of it," said Farea Al-Muslimi, a research fellow at the Chatham House think tank, speaking to AFP. The development underscores how the Houthis continue to make gains despite the government's vow to wage total war.

Sanaa, which has been under Houthi control for more than a decade, has come under sustained attack as government forces attempt to degrade the group's military capabilities. Strikes against the Houthis have also spread to other parts of Yemen, including the Saada region, the group's northern heartland and a historic stronghold.

Yemen's government said on Saturday that its forces had struck Houthi targets across the country, including in Sanaa, Saada and positions near Taiz in the south-west. Smoke was reported rising from the site of an air strike in Sanaa on Sunday, according to Reuters.

The expanded military campaign carries significant risks, not only for Yemen but for the wider region. Saudi Arabia has already demonstrated that it is willing to absorb costs in its confrontation with the Houthis, but a full-scale war could further threaten global energy supplies and international shipping through the Red Sea corridor.

With the Houthis continuing to advance on the ground and Saudi oil infrastructure in their crosshairs, the coming weeks are likely to determine whether al-Alimi's declaration translates into a genuine military turning point or further deepens one of the world's most protracted and destructive conflicts.