Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen’s internationally recognized Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), announced on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026, the start of a military operation to recapture national territory from Houthi forces. In a televised address, al-Alimi stated that military formations have been instructed to begin carrying out tasks under an approved plan to restore authority. A military spokesman for the government subsequently called on the Houthis, formally known as Ansar Allah, to lay down their weapons.
The announcement follows an escalation in the conflict after a 2022 truce collapsed in July. Last month, Houthi forces conducted an offensive that seized the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait and roughly 150 kilometers (90 miles) of the Red Sea coastline. This advance allowed the group to gain control over an international shipping route and disrupted Saudi Arabia’s ability to use the coast as an alternative oil export path to the Strait of Hormuz.
Military activity intensified over the weekend as both sides reported strikes. On Saturday, Oct. 3, government forces said they conducted 257 targeting operations, which Col. Majed Abdullah al-Nazili estimated killed at least 700 Houthi members. On Sunday, Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree claimed the group launched ballistic missiles and drones at Saudi Aramco sites in Riyadh and Khurais, resulting in fires. While Houthi media reported two people were wounded by strikes on Sunday, the Saudi government has not confirmed the attacks on its oil infrastructure.
The conflict carries economic implications for global energy markets and international shipping. By controlling the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the Houthi movement maintains leverage over the southern exit of the Red Sea, a passage for global oil shipments between the Mediterranean and Asia. The Saudi-led coalition, which includes aerial support for Yemeni ground forces, now faces a direct military confrontation to break this chokehold. According to reports, the U.S. is providing intelligence to support Saudi operations, while several European nations are contributing defensive military aid.
The operation follows years of relative stalemate and failed de-escalation efforts. Defence analyst Ibrahim Jalal noted that the current imbalance of power has pushed the conflict into a new phase. The next steps involve the execution of the government's approved military plan; however, specific deadlines for the offensive or dates for upcoming diplomatic negotiations were not reported.