2026 Yemen offensives
SPC–PLC clashes in Yemen
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On 3 September 2026, the Houthis launched an offensive against the Saudi-backed and UN recognized Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), the internationally recognized government of Yemen, amid the ongoing Yemeni civil war.[51][28] Clashes began in Taiz Governorate, prompting a PLC counter-offensive against the Houthis in the Al-Jawf and Al-Bayda governorates.[9][51]
(1 month, 1 week and 2 days)
- Bab al-Mandab Strait crisis
- Southern Movement resurgence in South Yemen[2]
- PLC launches Operation Dawn of Yemen
- Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia airports
changes
- Houthis capture Hanish Islands, Hays and Al Khawkhah districts in Al-Hudaydah Governorate and Mokha and Dhubab districts in Taiz Governorate[3][4][5][6]
- Houthis capture At Turbah, encircling Taiz[7]
- PLC said its forces captured Al-Yatma and Labanat military camp in Al-Jawf Governorate[8][9]
| 2026 Yemen offensives | |||||||||
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| Part of the Houthi–Saudi conflict, the Saudi-led intervention in the Yemeni civil war, and the spillover of the 2026 Iran war | |||||||||
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(For a detailed map of the military situation in Yemen and border areas in Saudi Arabia, see here.) | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
 Abdul-Malik al-Houthi Mahdi al-Mashat Muhammad al-Atifi Yusuf al-Madani[15] Muhammad Miftah Firaq Mohsen al-Assar †[16] |
Rashad al-Alimi Abdullah Bawazir Taher al-Aqili[b] Sagheer Aziz Tareq Saleh Abu Zara'a Ahmed al-Qubba[b] Hadi al-Awlaqi[b] Wajdi al-Zubaidi[b] Farouk al-Kholani (POW)[19] Salman Mohammed bin Salman Khalid bin Salman Turki al-Maliki
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| Units involved | |||||||||
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
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838 killed in Yemen[41] 3,000+ injured in Yemen[41] 21 killed in Saudi Arabia[d][44][45] 435+ injured in Saudi Arabia[46][47][48] 1 Italian Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon damaged[49] 201,217 displaced in Yemen[50] | |||||||||
The fighting coincides with the ongoing 2026 Iran war, which has marked the deadliest fighting in Yemen since the collapse of the 2022 ceasefire.[52] The Yemeni government lost areas around the Bab al-Mandab Strait in Yemen's southwest after a swift battle over Mokha, resulting in a crisis with the entire west coast of Yemen (except for the Midi district) falling under control of the Houthi movement, who named the operation as Operation Allah is Stronger in Might and More Severe in Punishment.[e][53][54] The counteroffensive of the PLC against the Houthis was named Operation Dawn of Yemen.[f][55][56]
Background
2022 ceasefire and the Red Sea crisis
The Houthis and the internationally recognized government of Yemen reached a ceasefire agreement in 2022, which largely held until the 2026 campaign. Peace talks stalled in 2023 amidst the Gaza war.[57] Starting on 19 October 2023, the Houthis began launching missiles and drones at international shipping crossing the Bab al-Mandab Strait in solidarity with Palestinians during the war in Gaza, triggering the Red Sea crisis. In response, a US-led multinational coalition launched Operation Prosperity Guardian in late 2023 to secure shipping through the Red Sea. In early 2024, the United States and the United Kingdom launched a series of airstrikes targeting Houthi missile and drone launch sites across Yemen.[58][59] In March 2025, the United States launched a larger wave of strikes against the Houthis, after which the Houthis agreed to stop attacking U.S. vessels in the Red Sea.[60] Additionally, Israel previously launched a series of airstrikes on Houthi-controlled Yemen in response to missile attacks by the group, including a July 2024 strike on Tel Aviv that killed one person.[61][62] Following the implementation of the Gaza peace plan in 2025, both parties briefly ceased attacks until March 2026, when the Houthis again launched missiles toward Israel in support of Iran and the Axis of Resistance, all of which were intercepted.[63][64]
2026 Iran war and escalation
On 28 February 2026, the United States and Israel launched a large-scale attack on Iran, aimed at regime change. Iran and its allied militias, including Hezbollah and the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces, retaliated against U.S., Israeli, and other regional countries' military and energy infrastructure with drone and missile strikes. The Houthis initially refrained from joining the fighting, breaking with the rest of the Axis of Resistance, only joining the war on 28 March.[65]
When the US navy reimposed its naval blockade against Iran on 14 July 2026, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran threatened to cut "all other export corridors that benefit the US and its allies", with a senior Houthi official warning that the group was prepared to close the Bab al-Mandab Strait.[32] On 16 July 2026, Reuters reported that Iran had asked the Houthis to be ready to close the strait should the US strike Iranian power infrastructure. Soon after the Houthis began deploying drones and missiles near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.[66]
On 13 July 2026, a Mahan Air flight carrying IRGC commanders and weapons attempted to land at Sanaa Airport, in the Houthi-controlled capital.[67] Yemeni government forces and Saudi Arabia responded by striking the airport's runway to prevent the landing. In retaliation for the strike, the Houthis declared the ceasefire with the Yemeni government and Saudi Arabia over.[68] On 20 July, the Houthis announced a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, amid the renewed U.S. naval blockade of Iran.[69] The Houthis subsequently began striking Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea. On 24 July, Saudi Arabia retaliated against the earlier Houthi strikes on its oil tankers by bombing Houthi targets in the port city of Hodeidah. In response, the Houthis struck the Jizan oil refinery and the port city of Yanbu in Saudi Arabia two days later.[70] Starting on 6 August, the Houthis also started striking Yemeni government forces across the country with missiles and drones, killing and injuring dozens of troops.[71]
Timeline
3–9 September
On 3 September, the Houthis launched what was described as a "massive offensive" in the Taiz Governorate, attempting to cut the road linking Taiz to Mokha and thus sever Taiz city from the coast and escalate the Siege of Taiz. At least 129 people were reportedly killed in the clashes. Despite initial Houthi gains, Yemeni government forces (PLC) were able to regain control of some of the lost territories.[51][72]
On 4 September, the PLC said it had recaptured the al-Khazan and al-Makahna hills in the Jabal Habashi district west of Taiz city.[73]
On 6 September, the PLC claimed to have taken full control of the Hays district in Al-Hudaydah Governorate, and advanced in western Taiz.[74]
On 7 September, the PLC claimed to have made advances on several fronts in the Al-Jawf and Al-Bayda regions, taking control of the Al-Labanat military camp and moving toward the town of Al Hazm.[9]
The Houthis accused Saudi Arabia of launching airstrikes across Yemen,[10] including on a prison in Al Hazm, killing 23 people.[75] They also claimed that a ballistic missile struck a military convoy en route to the Al-Wadiah military base in Hadhramaut.[1]
The Yemeni National Resistance claimed that several Somali al-Shabaab militants were killed fighting alongside the Houthis in western Yemen.[76]
On 8 September, the PLC said their offensive aimed to capture the Houthi-held capital, Sanaa, and reported that government-aligned forces had advanced on the outskirts of Dhi Na'im district in Al-Bayda governorate and had captured the town of Yatma in Al-Jawf governorate.[1]
The Houthis struck the cities of Khamis Mushait, Abha, Jizan and Najran in Saudi Arabia with drones and missiles, wounding 73 people and damaging several oil sites.[77] Houthi shelling on an internally displaced person camp in Marib killed two children and injured 15 others.[78] The Houthis also accused Saudi Arabia of conducting airstrikes on multiple sites in Yemen.[79]
The PLC said that it recaptured Al-Mukazama and Al-Mihal in Taiz and struck a Houthi gathering in Jabal Habashi.[80]
During fighting in Taiz, the National Resistance said that it captured Ali al-Adhari, a senior leader in the Houthi rapid intervention unit in al-Barh.[81]
On 9 September, Houthi media reported 32 Saudi airstrikes in the regions of Marib, Al-Jawf, Taiz and Hodeidah.[82]
Yemeni army airstrikes also hit Houthi positions in Maqbanah,[83] where an offensive was launched to capture Kadha. Also in Taiz, the PLC said that it retook Makazma, Mihal hill, Hamra, Sawda, and Shiek,[84] while a Houthi offensive targeting al-Wazi'iyah was repelled.[85]
The PLC launched a major offensive in southern Marib, capturing several areas, as well as villages in al-Kaddah in Taiz.[86] Government-run Saba News Agency reported that an attack by the Houthis in Marib killed three children.[51]
Clashes occurred in al-Bayda, al-Dhale, Hodeidah. Additionally, Houthi shelling killed two civilians in Hays. The Southern Giants Brigades said it struck a Houthi combat vehicle in al-Bayda, killing its occupants.[85]
An airstrike reportedly hit a gathering of Houthi leaders in al-Bahr that included Houthi defense minister Mohamed al-Atifi, although his fate was unclear.[87]
Turki al-Maliki, spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition, said that the Houthis conducted drone and ballistic missile attacks on Khamis Mushait, Abha, and Jizan.[88] The Houthis seized the Khalid bin Walid camp after several clashes with the PLC in Taiz Governorate.[89]
A Yemeni army (PLC) convoy was ambushed while driving on a road in Hays, Hodeidah governorate when it was shot by suspected Houthi soldiers, killing one person and injuring a couple more.[90]
Remnants of the Southern Transitional Council—now identifying as the "Southern Resistance"—blocked local roads in Dhale and ambushed a convoy transporting Taher al-Aqili with the use of light and heavy weaponry, alongside drones and the support of local rioters;[17][91] Alongside Tahir, a variety of important Yemeni political figures were also present at the convoy visiting the area, including the Governor of Al-Dhali' Governorate Ahmed al-Qubba, the Commander of the Eighth Military Region Hadi al-Awlaqi, the Commander of the 33rd Armored Division Major General Wajdi al-Zubaidi.[17] On the same day the Southern Resistance and the PLC were reported jointly thwarthing a Houthi advance towards Al-Masharih-Al-Thawkhab sector in a confrontation which lasted one hour.[92]
10–16 September
On 10 September, Houthi forces captured the districts of Hays and Al Khawkhah in Hodeidah province, as well as the town of Mokha in western Taiz province, following advances.[93] The PLC said that its forces had retreated toward the Dhubab district near the Bab al-Mandab strait.[3][94]
A Houthi strike in Mafraq Harib in Marib killed three children and injured six others.[95] The Houthis said that they shot down a Karayel drone from Saudi Arabia over Hajjah Governorate.[96]
Later in the day, reports emerged that the Houthis also captured the Hanish Islands in Hodeidah governorate, amid unverified claims of the capture of the strategically located Dhubab district and Perim island in the Bab al-Mandeb strait.[4][5]
The Houthis said that Saudi Arabia had conducted 64 airstrikes in Taiz, Hodeidah, Marib, and Al-Jawf, adding that their air defenses repelled an aerial squadron over Taiz.[97]
Following their withdrawal from Mokha district, the PLC declared a "kill box" around the area, intending to use "all weapons and firepower", and warning civilians to avoid the Taiz–Mokha road until further notice.[98][99]
Following the incident that occurred between the Southern Resistance and the PLC the day prior, Southern Resistance's Brigadier General Ali Shaif Al-Hariri, an official spokesperson of the group, issued a formal statement categorically rejecting and condemning the disruption of Minister Al-Aqili's convoy. Al-Hariri labeled the ambush a "reprehensible and unacceptable act" that ran counter to the tribal customs and history of Dhale. The official leadership statement emphasized that internal political differences within the resistance must not escalate into violence or chaos, stating that his group should focus most of its firepower against the Houthis instead.[100][101] On the same day, the General Union of Southern Arabian Tribes stated its support for the events that took place in Dhale and stated it was ready to support the Southern Resistance with men and equipment,[102] following up with an official call to arms the following day.[31]
On 11 September, the Houthis claimed control over Yemen's entire Red Sea coast, including the Perim Island and the al-Omari camp. The Yemeni government said that its forces had withdrawn from Perim, and that the Houthis had also captured the town of Dhubab, on the Red Sea coast facing the island.[103][104] Reports of the Houthis taking Perim islands were also confirmed by Saudi and PLC sources.[103]
Axios reported that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called President Donald Trump twice on 10 September, urging him to launch strikes against the Houthis, but that Trump rejected the request. Two U.S. officials said the US did not intend to directly intervene at the time.[105] A PLC official also said the US withheld support from a full-scale Saudi air attack.[106] Saudi airstrikes targeted the Mokha airport.[106] The Yemeni Brigadier General Farouk al-Kholani of the 1st Infantry Division was initially reported killed while battling Houthi forces, along with his son on the west coast of Yemen.[23] It was later revealed that al-Kholani was captured by Houthi fighters.[19]
The Support and Reinforcement Brigades, who traditionally operated alongside the former Security Belt Forces in Aden and Lahej under the command of the STC prior to its fall, announced through their leader and spokesperson Aidarus al-Zoubaidi and through Brigadier General Nasr Atef al-Yafei, their full combat readiness to protect Southern Yemen and fight for the cause of South Yemen, calling all other formations of the Southern Resistance to unite in a front for national interest.[20]
The PLC-aligned Yemeni Air Force began airstrikes on a designated "kill zone" in Taiz Governorate, with army spokesman Col. Majed Al-Nuzaily warning citizens to stay off the roads of Taiz-Mokha and Mokha-Dhubab.[107]
On 12 September, Yemeni government forces said they carried out air strikes on Houthi fighters and vehicles near Mocha, including on the Mocha–Dhubab road.[108] Saudi Civil Defence said a projectile fired by the Houthis that landed in the Al-Tuwal governorate of Jazan damaged several vehicles.[108] The Houthis said Saudi warplanes had carried out 129 air raids on Yemeni governorates, including Taiz, over the previous 48 hours.[108] Fighting also continued in the mountainous terrain of Taiz Governorate.[108]
The International Organization for Migration warned that at least 76,000 people had been displaced in Yemen, with many facing repeated displacement.[109]
On 13 September, a mosque in Jizan province was hit by a projectile that injured two people.[48]
There were claims that the Southern Resistance and the Giants Brigade had liberated Dhubab, but they were contradicted by field reports, which stated that both the Southern Resistance and the Giants Brigade, under the leadership of Major General Hamdi Shukri and Brigadier General Ali Hassan Al-Radfani, had clashed with the Houthis.[110] Reports suggested that after securing the coast, the Houthis turned their attention towards offensives in the Lahaj and Marib governorates,[111] with Al Jazeera reporting clashes in the outskirts of Marib.[24] The PLC's reserve Homeland Shield Forces claimed that its 6th Brigade had downed five drones during clashes in the al-Aghbara area.[24]
Yemeni government forces claimed to have recaptured the Al-Ghail area in Al-Waziyah, seizing abandoned equipment and vehicles. They also stated their forces took the overlooks of Jabal Jardad in Al-Shamaytain, as well as advances on Ghayl Bani Omar, with airstrikes claimed to have destroyed vehicles, stored ammunition, and killing at least 10 Houthi fighters.[112]
On 14 September, Al Jazeera reported that the Houthis advanced in PLC-held Marib and Taiz areas,[113] later reporting that the PLC repelled the offensive in western Taiz,[114] before once again reporting that Houthi militants had managed to breach the PLC's previously established front line between 17:00 KSA/14:00 GMT and 18:00 KSA/15:00 GMT.[115]
On 15 September, Houthis launched missile and drone attacks targeting Khamis Mushait, Abha and Taif, resulting in 13 civilians being injured and damaging property.[116][117][118]
The Houthis launched an offensive in Al-Jawf, showing images of destroyed vehicles and fighting, in addition to the retaliatory bombings by the Saudi-led coalition.[119]
On 16 September, according to the spokesman of the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, Major General Turki al-Maliki, Saudi air defenses intercepted a drone south of the holy city of Mecca. The Houthis denied targeting the city of Mecca.[120]
The Houthis claimed to have shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet after the aircraft was hit by a locally made missile.[121][122] Footage later released by the Houthis appeared to show the tail of a Royal Saudi Air Force F-15SR in the Marib Governorate.[38][123]
The PLC stated that its forces bombarded outposts and equipment near Mokha and conducted drone attacks against Houthi forces in Marib.[124]
17–23 September
On 17 September, Al Jazeera reported significant clashes for the control of the Kahbub mountains between the PLC and the Houthis, with the PLC successfully repelling an offensive causing, according to its own sources, injuries and deaths on the other side whilst securing the arrest of two Houthi fighters.[125]
Yemeni forces including Giants Brigades, Homeland Shield and Subaiha tribes claimed to have fully recaptured the Kahbub mountains after clashes which dealt heavy losses to the Houthis.[25]
According to Saudi Civil Defense a Yemeni resident was killed and a Saudi woman and a Pakistani resident were injured in the Saudi city of Taif by a Houthi drone attack. This marked the first civilian death in Saudi Arabia since the end of the 2022 cease fire.[126][127]
The Houthi-linked Almasirah reported that a civilian was killed in Taiz and another injured in strikes on the town of Abs, Yemen, it also reported that three children were killed from Saudi airstrikes.[126]
Houthis also claimed to have shot a Saudi drone in Harad district.[128]
The Southern Resistance claimed that, with the alleged assistance of tribesmen from the Subeihi region, they had successfully repelled the offensive of a Houthi offensive in al-Sudair-al-Dakhula, claiming to have captured 1 military vehicle, 2 Houthi militia members and having killed more than 12 Houthi fighters.[129]
On 18 September, Italian defense minister Guido Crosetto announced that an Italian Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft was damaged at the King Fahd Air Base during a Houthi strike.[49]
The Southern Resistance claimed that, with the alleged assistance of tribesmen from the Subeihi region, they had successfully repelled the offensive of a Houthi brigade in al-Sudair-al-Dakhula, allegedly thwarting an offensive in the area for the second time.[129]
Saudi Arabia proposed a two-week ceasefire with the Houthis, mediated through Oman.[130]
On 19 September, Houthi major general Firaq Mohsen al-Asar, also known as "Abu Saqr", was reportedly killed alongside six of his staff in Kahboub.[131][132] The PLC said that Houthi offensives near Taiz were repelled, killing 30 Houthis and injuring 60 others.[133] It later said that it thwarted a Houthi attack in al-Fuliahan in Marib, killing 12 Houthis.[134] The army announced that 13 Yemeni soldiers were killed in the governorates of Taiz and Lahej in the past two days.[135]
Following an air raid alert in Riyadh, a fire and rising smoke was reported at the King Khalid International Airport.[136] The Houthis claimed the attack, along with missile and drone strikes on Saudi Aramco facilities in Yanbu.[137]
On 20 September, the Giants Brigades claimed to have launched "precise" attacks against Houthi-owned infrastructure and vehicles in Al-Bayda Governorate.[138]
The PLC claimed to have captured Jabal Numan, west of Taiz; securing the Bani Bakari–Al-Ashrouh–Al-Birin road,[139] establishing a connection with the Al-Kadha front.[140]
The Yemeni army said that fighting outside Marib killed 80 Houthis.[141] Houthi media reported that a Saudi strike on telecommunications towers in Khabb wa ash Sha'af district killed four civilians and injured three others.[142]
On 21 September, the Giants Brigades claimed responsibility for the destruction of five military vehicles belonging to the Houthis in Kahbub; one of the vehicles was transporting a Houthi commander, while the others carried reinforcements and weapons.[143]
The Homeland Shield Forces claimed to have shot down 2 Houthi drones during the clashes.[144]
Houthi missile strikes hit a crowded market south of Kahboub, injuring several people, according to the PLC.[145][146]
On 22 September, fighting and airstrikes in Taiz, al-Jawf, Marib, Saada, and Lahej killed 118 Houthis and 36 Yemeni soldiers since 20 September.[147] The Houthis also said that Saudi airstrikes killed six civilians in Mocha and nine people at a prison in al-Jawf.[148]
The PLC chief of staff for the Taiz military axis, Major General Abdulaziz al-Majidi said the army captured Mount Qarfan in Taiz, killing five Houthis and injuring 20.[149][150][151]
On 23 September, the Houthis said that Saudi airstrikes in Taiz and Al-Jawf killed ten civilians and injured 14 others.[152] The group also said that it shot down a Saudi-operated CAIG Wing Loong II drone over Mocha.[153]
24–30 September
On 24 September, clashes in Lahej, Taiz, Hodeidah, and Saada killed 98 Yemeni soldiers and 52 Houthis. The PLC said that it repelled an overnight Houthi infiltration attempt against al-Ashbout and Heijah al-Abd, a key route from Taiz to Aden,[154] in Al Maqatirah district, and al-Ahkum in Hayfan district.[155][156]
Saudi Arabia said that it shot down six ballistic missiles from Yemen targeting Taif and Yanbu.[157] Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree later said that the group attacked Saudi military sites in Jazan, causing hundreds of casualties among Saudi and Yemeni forces, as well as Sudanese mercenaries.[158] Later, the Houthis claimed missile and drone strikes against Riyadh and Saudi Aramco sites in Yanbu.[159]
On 25 September, the Homeland Shield Forces stated that, with the support of the Giants Brigades and members of local tribes, they captured the summit of Mount Dar al-Kafir in Lahej Governorate following an infiltration and an assault.[160]
On 26 September, clashes were reported in Marib and Taiz, with the PLC claiming that the Houthis bombarded their positions in northern Taiz with several projectiles.[161]
On 27 September, Saudi Arabia shifted schools and universities in Riyadh to remote learning for a week, seemingly due to escalating tensions.[162]
The Houthis said that a Saudi strike on a market in Taiz Governorate killed seven people and injured 40 others.[163] The Yemeni army said that it killed four Iranian missile and drone experts in the same region.[164]
On 28 September, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss the war, bilateral relations, and regional events. Prince Faisal urged foreign powers to protect shipping and advocated a comprehensive peace deal in Yemen.[165]
According to Almasirah, four civilians, including three women and an elderly man, were reportedly killed and three others wounded after a Saudi airstrike struck a civilian home in Al-Maafer district of Taiz.[166]
The Giants Brigades claimed the destruction of a vehicle carrying a Houthi leader and his companions on the Khabub front.[167]
On 29 September, PLC spokesman Majid Al-Nuzaili claimed that PLC forces carried out 414 attacks against the Houthis in 24 hours.[168]
On 30 September, the PLC claimed to have launched attacks towards Al-Jund and the area surrounding Taiz International Airport.[169]
Clashes intensified in Taiz, Lahej and Marib, following the PLC's call for a general mobilization; a child died following a bombardment in the Sala area, east of Taiz.[170]
1–7 October
On 1 October, the PLC claimed to have carried out 27 attacks against the Houthis around the Taiz front, resulting in the destruction of vehicles and killing several Houthi fighters.[171]
On the same day, Saudi air defenses said they intercepted two ballistic missiles over Khamis Mushait and Jazan, in addition to four drones in Khamis Mushait.[172][173][174]
An unnamed individual of African descent who was under scrutiny for alleged ties with the Houthis and suspects of possible sabotage plans in Haifan-Ayrin area was captured by the Southern Resistance.[175]
On 2 October, the PLC bombarded Houthi positions in Bani Bakari, Al-Kadha, and Jabal Numan with airstrikes,[176] in addition to attacking Houthi supply lines in Jabal Rasen, Al-Waziyah.[177]
On 3 October, Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree claimed to have attacked the Aramco facility in Riyadh with ballistic missiles and drones.[178][179]
The Houthis attacked positions belonging to the Al-Islah party in Same'a district, capturing the Al-Ja'sha area.[180]
On 4 October, Houthi forces said they seized the Al-Safiya area, where they cut the main road connecting Aden and Taiz,[181] and entered the town of Wadi Al-Barakani.[182] The Houthis captured the city of At Turbah,[7] following the withdrawal of PLC forces.[183] The pro-Houthi newspaper Al-Khabar Al-Yemeni, however, claimed that Houthi gains exceeded the city and extended to the alleged occupation of Jabal Habashi, Al-Nashmah, and Najd Qasim.[184] The Houthis occupied Najd al-Bard near Hejah al-Abd road, whilst the PLC managed to fend off offensives in Bani Omar, Samea and Bani Bakari.[185] On the same day the PLC announced that they were initiating a major counteroffensive with the objective to reconquer all Houthi-held territories,[186] calling it the "battle of liberation" to "end the coup".[187] The Giants Brigades claimed the destruction of a Houthi-owned vehicle in the Al-Waziyah area.[188] On that day President Commander Aydarus Al-Zubaydi called upon cohesion and general mobilization amongst ex-STC elements, which the Southern Resistance welcomed and complied with.[189] Meanwhile the Southern Resistance aligned Third Support and Reinforcement Brigade reported that militiamen riding a Kia vehicle ambushed one of their Dyna truck in Al-Khadira area of Abyan Governorate, leading to death of three of their soldiers and one injured soldier and the Dyna being captured.[190] The Southern Resistance and Ex-STC elements reported the organization of a "million-person march in Aden and the southern governorates" to be held on 14 October 2026 to bolster the morale and manpower of the militants which were fighting.[191]
On 5 October, the PLC announced the start of Operation Dawn of Yemen, aimed at retaking Sanaa and ending Houthi control of Yemen.[55] Around 100 Saudi aircraft were supporting the operation, striking hundreds of Houthi targets.[192] The PLC said that it captured much of Dhubab district, including Dhubab airport, and severed the road from Dhubab to Mokha; the Houthis denied that any gains were made.[193][56] The Yemeni military said that operations in Saada, al-Jawf, and Taiz "neutralized" 1,747 Houthis, and launched an attack on Raghwan district.[194] The Houthis claimed the capture of al-Mawasit district.[195] Yemeni media and Il Sole 24 Ore later reported that the PLC recaptured Mokha,[196][197][198] which the Houthis later denied.[199] The PLC claimed to have shot down 5 drones belonging to the Houthis in Taiz.[200] The Saudi-led coalition said that it conducted naval strikes in Hodeidah, destroying depots containing bomb-laden boats and naval mines.[201] Pakistan and Turkey pledged to mobilize troops in Saudi Arabia to defend it from further Houthi attacks.[202] Saudi Arabia said that airports in Najran and Jizan were attacked, injuring three people.[203]
On 6 October, the Saudi-led coalition announced that it destroyed a weapons depot housing 20 ballistic missiles in Saada and a missile launch site in Sanaa.[204][205] The PLC said that they, together with the Popular Resistance Forces, took control of the al-Manzara, al-Ashari and Dhiban mountains in Haifan.[56] It added that operations in Taiz the day prior killed 100 Houthis and injured 150 others.[206] Houthi sources reported that 160 fighters were killed in the past 24 hours, while the PLC reported that 115 soldiers were killed.[207] The 3rd Military Region attacked a Houthi military vehicle on the Marib front.[208] The Giants Brigades claimed to have repelled a Houthi attack in Dhubab district.[209]
On 7 October, the Houthis launched two ballistic missiles toward Aden International Airport; no injuries were reported.[210][211] The PLC said that it captured the Kahbub front near the Bab al-Mandab.[212] It added that 1,860 Houthis were "neutralized" as part of Operation Dawn of Yemen.[213] Houthi missile attacks killed two people and injured 28 others at Abha International Airport, and killed one and injured eight at King Khalid International Airport.[214] After the attacks, the Saudi-led coalition said that it destroyed 82 Houthi targets across Yemen.[215] The Houthis claimed to have captured the As-Silw district, following the withdrawal of PLC forces.[216][217] Pro-PLC media however claimed that the Houthi attack on As-Silw was repelled, with 12 Houthi fighters being killed.[218] The Homeland Shield Forces announced they had launched attacks on Houthi infrastructure at Labanat military camp.[219]
8–12 October
On 8 October, the Saudi-led coalition said that it intercepted three Houthi missiles fired at Saudi Arabia.[220] Strikes on the King Khalid International Airport killed three people, including a pilot, and severely damaged a Saudia airplane at a terminal.[221][222] Pro-PLC outlets reported the killing of two senior Houthi commanders, including Ammar Da'ah, the commander of the militia's western coast axis.[223]
On 9 October, the Houthis claimed to have captured the Jabal Habashi district, after the withdrawal of PLC forces.[224] Pro-government fighters were however reported to be still fighting the Houthis in the area.[225] Yemeni military sources initially said that the Giants Brigades and Homeland Shield Forces completed the capture of the Bab al-Mandab, along with the al-Ardi military camp and Mayyun Island,[226] however it was later reported that Mayyun Island and the Bab al-Mandab remained under Houthi control.[227] During the clashes, 16th Giants Brigade commander Col. Mu'adh Ali Saleh and his deputy, Lt. Col. Khalid Hamoud Al-Hawd, were killed;[228] the clashes left 50 members of the Giants Brigades and the Homeland Shield Forces dead and 80 wounded.[229] The PLC said that it "neutralized" 1,400 Houthis in 2,750 strikes over the past 24 hours.[230] Pro-PLC sources claimed that the PLC captured Al-Misrakh district after a brief incursion by the Houthis.[231][232] The Saudi-led coalition said that it destroyed 136 Houthi targets in a large-scale operation.[233]
On 10 October, Yemeni sources reported that fighting in western Yemen in the past 24 hours killed 35 soldiers and 28 Houthis. They added that Yemeni forces were still advancing in the Bab al-Mandab.[234] The PLC said that they repelled Houthi offensives north of Dhubab Airport[235] and on the Wadi al-Dhabab road, the entrance into Taiz city.[236] PLC military sources said that additional clashes in southern Taiz Governorate reportedly killed 25 Houthis, and a Yemeni airstrike on a command and control center in Same'a district killed four Houthi field commanders.[237] Houthi shelling in the province killed two civilians and injured 16 others.[238] The Houthis said that Saudi Arabia struck Sanaa International Airport and a telecommunications site in Al Mahabishah district.[239] Twelve people were killed and 309 others were injured after King Khalid International Airport was struck by a Houthi missile, leading to the suspension of its operations.[240] A projectile also landed near King Fahd International Airport in Dammam.[241]
On 11 October, PLC forces claimed to have shot down a drone belonging to the Houthis on Mount Sabr, in Taiz Governorate.[242] The Houthis said that a Saudi strike hit Sanaa International Airport, while a separate strike on a home in Sanaa killed a child and injured six others.[243] PLC forces claimed to have carried out 8 airstrikes against Houthi positions in the Taiz area.[244] Another attack hit King Khalid International Airport, killing one person and injuring 11 others.[245] King Fahd International Airport was also attacked, and the Houthis claimed strikes on the Saudi Aramco sites of Tanajib and Shedgum.[246] The Giants Brigade said that five Houthi military vehicles were destroyed near Dhubab Airport, killing their occupants.[247] Pro-Houthi sources reported that the militia had taken control of Al-Misrakh district.[248] The Houthis also announced that three generals from their special forces were killed during clashes in Taiz.[249]
On 12 October, the PLC said that fighting in Taiz killed and injured dozens of people in the past 24 hours, mostly Houthis. It also confirmed that the Houthis had captured Al-Misrakh district, the Najd Qasim area, and the Wadi al-Dhabab road, bringing all four exits to Taiz city under their control.[250] Saudi airstrikes killed ten civilians and injured 19 others in Sanaa and al-Jawf.[251] A Houthi offensive in Al Madaribah Wa Al Arah district that aimed to sever supply lines to Kahbub and the Bab al-Mandab was repelled, although missile attacks in Ras al-Ara killed or injured a number of Yemeni soldiers.[252] PLC sources reported that approximately 12,000 Houthis were killed or injured since Operation Dawn of Yemen began.[253]
Foreign involvement
Pro-Houthis
The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reportedly guided and armed the Houthi offensive in an effort to open a new front in the 2026 Iran war. Saudi-backed government sources claimed that the offensive across the Tihamah, the plains of Yemen's Red Sea coast, was led by IRGC Quds Force officer Abdolreza Shahlaei.[254] There are reportedly hundreds of IRGC officers stationed in Yemen to support Houthi operations, aiming to close the Strait of Bab al-Mandab.[255] The Yemeni National Resistance claimed that it seized documents from the laptop of a captured Houthi commander that detailed a four-stage plan by the IRGC to capture the Bab al-Mandab.[256] Nevertheless, the Iranian government denied any involvement in the conflict.[257] Iran Foreign Affairs spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said that the Houthis are independent actors with their own interests.[257][258]
According to the National Resistance, the bodies of several fighters from al-Shabaab, a militant group based in Somalia, were recovered among Houthi casualties during the clashes and identified using personal documents and belongings. Although the claim was not independently verified, cooperation between the Houthis and al-Shabaab has been recorded since at least 2023, according to The Wall Street Journal.[259]
Pro-PLC and Saudi Arabia
According to CNN, over 100 American military advisers who were stationed in Saudi Arabia weeks earlier due to signs that Iran was increasing aid to the Houthis were providing intelligence support to the Saudi military during the offensives. The support included a targeting tool that was compared to Project Maven as well as geospatial intelligence for strikes against the militia.[255] US president Donald Trump rejected a request by Saudi leader Mohammed bin Salman to strike the Houthis.[260]
According to Lebanese newspaper Al Akhbar, citing American officials, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered to join a regional effort against the Houthis in support of countries in the Arabian peninsula. Additionally, Israeli news outlet Maariv was closely monitoring Houthi movements following the capture of Mokha.[261] On 15 September, Walla! reported that Saudi Arabia sought Israeli intelligence support in talks mediated by the United States Central Command. The Israel Defense Forces advised Israel's leadership not to conduct strikes on the Houthis or other actions that would militarily involve Israel in the conflict.[262][263]
Turkish media reported that Pakistan was considering airstrikes against the Houthis under the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement.[264] Pakistani defense minister Khawaja Asif warned on 9 September that the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia could activate the pact.[265] Pakistan said on 10 September that there were no talks regarding military actions, but that the country would act "when the time comes."[266] A condemnation of the Houthi attacks was made by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on 13 September, the Saudi Press Agency reported.[267] Pakistan's DG ISPR Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry stated that Pakistan "stands with Saudi Arabia".[268]
Saudi Arabia requested military support from the United Kingdom for both repelling the Bab al-Mandab offensive and defending Saudi oil infrastructure from Houthi attacks. British prime minister Andy Burnham reportedly agreed to sending military advisers to Saudi Arabia.[269] High-level officials from multiple regional states said Turkey planned to offer indirect military aid to Saudi Arabia, but not support for offensive operations.[270] Pakistan rejected the NYT's claims about Pakistani aircraft used in airstrikes against Houthis.[271]
Consequences
Camp Lemonnier
The Houthi capture of coastal territories bordering the Strait of Bab al-Mandab brought Houthi positions on Perim Island within approximately 80 miles (130 km) of US-run Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti, posing possible strategic risks for the base's future.[272][273]
Wartime displacements
On 13 September, the Djiboutian Economic Minister Ilyas Moussa Dawaleh reported that approximately 2,000+ Yemeni refugees arrived in Djibouti within 24 hours. Among the arrivals, 500 evacuees reached Obock, including women and children rescued at sea after their boats ran out of fuel.[274][275] On 19 September, Al Jazeera reported that over 2,700 people fled to Djibouti.[276]
As of 5 October 2026, the International Organization for Migration reported that an estimated 184,000 people were displaced because of the intense fighting.[277][116]
Food crisis
Hunger in Yemen is rapidly worsening due to escalating conflict, resulting in 18.3 million people facing acute food insecurity and 2.2 million children under five being acutely malnourished. The World Food Programme reported that higher food prices and disrupted markets leave families unable to meet basic needs, forcing them to rely on limited, unhealthy food.[278]
Mecca Agreement
Some analysts noted that the Yemen conflict failed to activate the recently-concluded Mecca Agreement, including defensive action by Turkey or Pakistan, suggesting that the agreement was being violated. However, others noted that the pact requires parliamentary sanction in those nations, but can be approved by decree in Saudi Arabia. Turkish officials also said the terms of the agreement, such as military interoperability, could take a few years to be fully implemented. As of 16 September, Pakistan said it did not know whether it had been approached by Saudi Arabia for aid.[279][280] On 5 October the three countries agreed to enact the defense pact as a deterrence measure against Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia.[281]
Analysis
While the Houthis have sensed an opportunity to advance by exploiting the regional chaos and global economic turmoil unleashed by the Iran war, according to NYU professor and Near Eastern studies expert Mohamad Bazzi, Trump has decided to avoid direct intervention in the Houthi-Saudi conflict, seemingly acknowledging that over a decade of bombing campaigns has failed to force them into submission.[282] Gregory D. Johnsen of the Arab Gulf States Institute describes the anti-Houthi coalition as a disparate, incoherent group whose clashing internal goals lead them to fight each other more than the Houthis.[283]
See also
Notes
- The Southern Resistance ambushed figures and personnel from the PLC in Dhale,[11] whilst affirming their prime objective are the Houthis, with some members condemning what occurred.[12] Figureheads of the Resistance later on 13 September called upon the local Southern Resistance to cooperate with the PLC in Aden.[13] The STC in Radfan District also reportedly called for general mobilization. They reportedly did not seek integration with the PLC but the creation of a cohesive Southern Resistance fighting force.[14]