Yemeni government launches major military offensive against Houthi forces

On October 4, 2026, Yemeni President Rashad al-Alimi announced a major military operation aimed at retaking territory held by Iran-backed Houthi forces, who have controlled the capital, Sanaa, since 2014. The offensive, supported by Saudi-led airstrikes, follows a Houthi advance last month that seized control of the Red Sea coastline and the vital Bab al-Mandab Strait shipping lane.

By Monday, October 5, Yemeni government forces claimed to have captured the city of Mocha and secured areas around the Bab al-Mandab Strait. However, reports remain contradictory; while the Defense Ministry asserted the city had fallen, other government and military sources stated forces had only reached the city's outskirts. Simultaneously, Houthi fighters launched retaliatory ballistic missile and drone attacks against sites in Saudi Arabia, including Aramco facilities and Riyadh’s airport, claiming these were in response to dozens of coalition airstrikes. The Houthis have officially denied losing control of the strait and the city.

In response to the escalation, allies of Saudi Arabia, specifically Turkey and Pakistan, have invoked the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement to rapidly deploy military forces to the kingdom. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has formally condemned the ongoing violence as the conflict threatens regional stability and international maritime trade.