Yemen Govt Launches Assault to Roll Back Houthi Gains

Yemen's officially recognized government has switched sides in its own war, launching a direct assault against the Houthis. This shift marks a turning point where local forces are attempting to undo recent gains made by Iran-backed rebels, now bolstered by significant air power and fresh international backing. The internationally supported administration wants everyone to see that it is finally leading the fight within this nation's decades-long conflict. On Monday, they announced Operation Dawn of Yemen with the stated purpose of restoring state authority everywhere. Almost immediately, troops moved against enemy positions along the southern Red Sea coast.

The plan starts by rolling back victories the Houthis claimed last month when they grabbed control of a critical global shipping channel known as the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. However, the bigger picture involves retaking territory that has been in rebel hands for over ten years. That includes the capital city of Sanaa, which fighters seized by force back in 2014 and used to set up their own rule. The goal is lofty, and results so far have been small, limited mostly to a narrow push near the strait. Yet these attacks show that the Saudi-backed Yemeni government is fighting with more order than before. That change stands out sharply after last month's surrender and the loss of the Red Sea shoreline to Ansar Allah, the Arabic name for the Houthis or Supporters of God.

Government troops in early September struggled with serious internal fractures. Groups opposing the Houthis could not agree on how to fight, soldiers were poorly prepared for battle, and analysts say enemies managed to slip into government communication lines. It is too soon to confirm if those deep problems have been fixed. Still, the Houthis cannot hold onto the highlands that overlook the land they took in the southern Red Sea, leaving them open to a strong counterattack. Several other factors suggest this new offensive could succeed where previous efforts failed since fighting restarted in July and broke a fragile truce from 2022.

Saudi Arabia plays the biggest role right now by sending heavy aerial support. On Monday, the Saudi-led coalition supporting the Yemeni government confirmed that one hundred fighter jets took part in the operation. This was their first public admission in four years of resuming air attacks against the Houthis, even though reports said strikes happened back in September. These bombings help ground troops pressing forward on multiple fronts outside the Red Sea coast, including areas near Taiz, Marib, and al-Jawf. Maged al-Madhaji, who leads the Sana'a Center for Strategic Studies, told Al Jazeera that the speed and precision of these air strikes were far better than before. He said they outperformed even the bombing campaign that started back in 2015 under Saudi leadership.

With intelligence help from the United States, the attacks became more efficient and worked closely with soldiers on the ground. One US official told Al Jazeera on Monday that two hundred advisers are currently stationed in Saudi Arabia to support this effort. Elias Hanna, a retired general from Lebanon, pointed out that this setup reveals a unified command structure essential for winning battles.

"There is a central leadership managing operations and coordination between the ground forces and the air forces," he said during a conversation with Al Jazeera on Monday. Without such tight control, military success remains out of reach.

The air force strikes first, yet ground troops must follow to seize land, hold it tight, and keep control." Hanna noted this reality clearly. He explained that US expertise acts as an intelligence bank of targets capable of repeatedly hitting Houthi positions again and again. That specific capability changes the battlefield dynamic immediately.

Giants Brigades have taken another major factor apart from early September fighting. This government offensive differs significantly because these units play a prominent role now. Trained previously by the United Arab Emirates, they receive current backing from Saudi Arabia. The force existed during earlier Red Sea losses to the Houthis but in much smaller numbers then. Now it leads the battle across the area and within Taiz's al-Waziyah district overlooking Mocha port city. They defeated Houthis in Shabwah back in 2022. Those forces drove enemy fighters out of southeastern coastal governorates plus parts of Marib and al-Bayda east of Sanaa.

"They are the most experienced with Houthi fighting methods," said al-Madhaji regarding these units. He stated they engage enemies across different operation theatres, some flat terrain, others mountainous. "In practice, this is first time we see Saudi operational management together with forces under Emirati management produce effective results." That shift suggests the operations room has become unified while coordination between sides grows more effective daily.

Less attention paid to fighting in Marib and al-Jawf remains true despite claims of advances there by government forces. Those two largely desert governorates sit east of Sanaa. Developments could prove crucial to ultimate aim stated by the government, which is recapturing Sanaa held by Houthis since 2014. Increased coordination between ground forces, air power and intelligence gathering remains only way a multi-pronged assault toward capital can be managed. That goal still appears distant right now.

Houthis themselves cannot be discounted from the equation entirely. Their forces have held firm so far while regrouping after losses on Monday in southwestern town of Dhubab along Red Sea coast. They continue advancing toward government-held city of Taiz, one of country's most important centers today. Morale on government side remains fragile because more setbacks especially in Taiz would change narrative once again quickly. Houthis also possess strong missile and drone capabilities strengthened over past four years alone. They already increased attacks against government forces as well as Saudi Arabia recently. Forcing them out of territory claimed recently proves difficult enough, yet forcing them out of territory held for years like major port city of Hodeidah will be even harder still.

Yet unlike previous escalations in this conflict, government and Saudi Arabia possess stronger international backing now. Houthis can attack Red Sea shipping to demonstrate damage they inflict if attacked, but that also highlights dangers of allowing group retain control in region particularly as Iran conducts similar policy on other side of Arabian Peninsula within Strait of Hormuz. United Kingdom already said it will provide defensive support to Saudi Arabia while kingdom's mutual-defence pact with Turkiye and Pakistan activated Monday too. Ankara has not confirmed any troop deployments yet, but Islamabad said it involved in support roles including reconnaissance duties specifically. That international support may prove vital both diplomatically and militarily to success of anti-Houthi operation likely dragging on for many months ahead.