"The Coalition" Announces Support for Yemeni Government Forces in Military Operation Against Houthis

- The spokesperson for the "Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen" led by Saudi Arabia announced on Sunday its support for the internationally recognized Yemeni government, amid the latter's announcement of the start of a large military operation against the Iran-backed Houthis. The official spokesperson for the coalition, Turki Al-Maliki, stated in a statement that the coalition continues "to provide full operational support to the Yemeni armed forces and to stand with the legitimate Yemeni government and the Yemeni people to end the coup and restore the state and its national institutions to build Yemen's future."

Al-Maliki added that the "attacks by the Houthi terrorist militia on the Kingdom" and attempts to target Mecca and Medina, as well as attempts to target Saudi ships in the southern Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, "necessitate the continuation of the necessary and essential measures to deter hostile actions in order to protect the security and sovereignty of the Kingdom as well as regional and international security." The internationally recognized Yemeni government announced on Sunday the start of a wide military operation aimed at repelling the advances made by the Houthi group in recent times.

The Iran-backed Houthis launched a swift attack along the Red Sea coast last month, managing to seize a major port, which increased pressures on the security of international navigation. The Chairman of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad Al-Alimi, stated in a televised speech on Sunday that the military operations aim to regain control of the territories still held by the Houthis and to restore the authority of the state across the country.

Al-Alimi indicated that he has issued directives to the armed forces and security and all military formations "to begin implementing their assigned tasks, according to the approved plans, until the country is liberated from the grip of the Houthi terrorist militia." In early September, the Houthis seized vast areas of the Yemeni coast along the Red Sea, extending south to the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which is a vital passage for commercial ships heading towards the Indian Ocean.

The Houthis announced that they would target Saudi ships attempting to cross the strait, threatening to impose additional pressures on global trade routes and energy transport pathways. Since late July, the Houthis have launched ballistic missiles and drones towards multiple targets in Saudi Arabia, including industrial facilities and energy installations.

A significant portion of the fighting in recent times has focused on the Taiz region in southern Yemen, where the Houthis have sought to cut supply lines and isolate government forces in the regional capital.