Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi on Monday announced the launch of a major military operation aimed at retaking the capital, Sanaa, from the Houthi movement and restoring the country’s state institutions.
Alimi announced the operation in a statement posted on X, describing it as “Operation Dawn of Yemen.” He said the campaign was intended to restore government institutions, liberate Sanaa and bring an end to what he described as the Houthi militias’ seizure of power.
“With God’s blessing, Operation ‘Dawn of Yemen’ has begun to restore state institutions, liberate the capital Sanaa, and end the coup by the Houthi militias,” Alimi said.
He said Yemen’s armed forces and other military formations would participate in the operation, with support from the country’s international and regional allies.
According to Alimi, the military campaign represents a major effort to change the balance of power on the ground and move Yemen toward what he described as a new era of freedom, peace and stability.
“With the will of our people, the bravery of our armed forces and all military formations, and the support of our brothers and friends, Yemen will move toward a new dawn of freedom, peace and stability,” he added.
The announcement came as forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognized government began military operations against the Houthis in several parts of the country.
One of the key areas witnessing fighting was the strategically important Bab el-Mandeb region, a vital maritime passage connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. Control and security around the area have significant implications for Yemen as well as international shipping and regional security.
Earlier on Monday, the Yemeni army announced that government forces had captured the Dhubab district and strategic positions in the surrounding area following clashes with Houthi fighters.
The reported advances were followed by an announcement from the pro-government Southern Giants Brigades, which said it had launched what it described as a “decisive” military operation against the Houthis in the Bab el-Mandeb area.
The developments represent a significant escalation in Yemen’s prolonged conflict, which has divided the country between the Houthi-controlled north and west and territories held by the internationally recognized government and allied forces.
The Houthis seized control of Sanaa in September 2014, triggering a political and military crisis that eventually developed into a wider civil war. Since then, the group has maintained control over the capital and large portions of northern and western Yemen.
The internationally recognized government and its allied forces, meanwhile, have retained control of significant parts of southern and eastern Yemen, although the balance of territorial control has shifted at different points throughout the conflict.
The latest military campaign announced by Alimi could therefore mark a major new phase in the conflict, particularly if government forces succeed in making further advances toward areas under Houthi control.
The focus on Bab el-Mandeb is also strategically significant. The narrow waterway is one of the world’s important maritime routes, linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and providing access toward the Suez Canal. Instability in the area has the potential to affect regional security and international commercial shipping.
Alimi’s announcement suggests that the government intends to pursue the campaign with the combined efforts of Yemen’s armed forces and allied military formations. He also emphasized the role of support from Yemen’s “brothers and friends,” indicating that outside assistance could play an important role in the operation.
For the Houthis, who have controlled Sanaa for more than a decade, the government’s declared objective of retaking the capital would represent a major challenge to their political and military position.
The coming days are expected to determine whether the government forces can consolidate their reported gains around Dhubab and Bab el-Mandeb and expand their operations into additional Houthi-held territory.
The launch of Operation Dawn of Yemen consequently marks a significant development in the country’s long-running conflict, with the government openly declaring the restoration of Sanaa and state institutions as its central military objective.
