Yemen's government announces large-scale operation to retake Houthi-held areas
Version 2: A third outlet filled out the announcement considerably, reporting that al-Alimi made the declaration in a televised address from Riyadh after weeks of mobilisation, describing Saudi-led coalition backing and a new Saudi aid payment, and adding the Houthi account of 106 Saudi strikes and Iranian calls for dialogue.
In short
Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council chairman Rashad al-Alimi announced on 4 October, in a televised address from Riyadh, the launch of a large-scale military operation to retake areas recently controlled by the Houthis and restore state authority nationwide, saying he had ordered the armed forces, security services and allied forces to execute the plan and offering amnesty to Houthi fighters who stop fighting. The Saudi-led coalition's spokesman said the coalition continues to provide full operational support, and Saudi Arabia reported a new aid payment of more than 224 million riyals for Yemen's budget. The Houthis' military spokesman said Saudi Arabia carried out 106 airstrikes and missile attacks on Houthi-held areas in 24 hours, while Iran's foreign ministry called for dialogue.
Read the full story 2 min read
Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council chairman Rashad al-Alimi announced on 4 October the launch of a large-scale military operation to retake areas recently controlled by the Houthis and to restore state authority across the country, according to Xinhua, Jiemian and China News Service. Jiemian and China News Service said the announcement was made in Riyadh, the Saudi capital; China News Service said al-Alimi delivered it in a televised address on Yemeni state television after weeks of military mobilisation. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Alimi said he had ordered the armed forces, the security services and allied military forces to begin executing the operational plan, and that Houthi personnel who laid down their weapons and stopped fighting would be pardoned, China News Service reported. [ 3 ]
According to the same report, Saudi-led multinational coalition spokesman Maliki said in a social media statement that the coalition would continue to provide the Yemeni government with full operational support to end what he called the “Houthi coup” and restore national sovereignty. Saudi Arabia's news agency reported on 4 October that the kingdom had provided a new tranche of more than 224 million Saudi riyals, about 59.66 million US dollars, through the Yemen Development and Reconstruction Project to support the Yemeni government's budget, and that total Saudi development and economic support to Yemen between 2012 and 2026 exceeded 12.6 billion dollars. [ 3 ]
Houthi military spokesman Sarea said on 4 October that Saudi Arabia had carried out 106 airstrikes and missile attacks on Houthi-controlled areas over the previous 24 hours, with targets including the capital Sanaa and the provinces of Al-Jawf and Taiz. [ 3 ]
Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Baghaei told a news conference on 4 October that continued economic blockade and bombing were not solutions, and said the Houthis and Saudi Arabia should hold dialogue based on the peace roadmap they had previously agreed; Iran, he said, was willing to help push for a negotiated settlement. Yemen's minister of foreign affairs and expatriates, referred to in the report as Zuba, wrote on social media that Yemen's stability served the world's interest and called on the international community to give the Yemeni government more effective support. [ 3 ]
Xinhua and Jiemian carried the announcement only as a headline and a short summary, both traceable to Xinhua's report; the operational details, statements and figures came from China News Service, which cited Yemeni, Saudi, Houthi and Iranian statements. The documents do not say which areas the operation is meant to retake, how large it is or whether fighting on the ground has begun. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The announcement marks a declared large-scale military push by Yemen's internationally recognised government against the Houthis after what China News Service described as weeks of mobilisation. The coalition's stated backing and the fresh Saudi budget support point to continued Saudi involvement, while Iran's call for talks based on an earlier peace roadmap shows the dispute's regional dimension. The documents give no account of fighting on the ground, so the operation's practical effect is not yet known.
Key facts
- Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council chairman Rashad al-Alimi announced on 4 October the launch of a military operation to retake areas recently controlled by the Houthis. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Alimi made the announcement in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, according to Jiemian and China News Service. [ 2 , 3 ]
- China News Service said al-Alimi delivered a televised address on Yemeni state television after weeks of military mobilisation, and ordered the armed forces, security services and allied forces to begin executing the operational plan. [ 3 ]
- Alimi said Houthi fighters who lay down their weapons and stop fighting would be pardoned. [ 3 ]
- Saudi-led coalition spokesman Maliki said the coalition continues to provide the Yemeni government with full operational support to end what he called the Houthi coup and restore national sovereignty. [ 3 ]
- Saudi Arabia's news agency reported a new tranche of more than 224 million Saudi riyals, about 59.66 million US dollars, through the Yemen Development and Reconstruction Project for Yemen's budget, with total Saudi support from 2012 to 2026 exceeding 12.6 billion dollars. [ 3 ]
- Houthi military spokesman Sarea said Saudi Arabia carried out 106 airstrikes and missile attacks on Houthi-controlled areas in 24 hours, including targets in Sanaa, Al-Jawf and Taiz. [ 3 ]
- Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Baghaei said economic blockade and bombing are not solutions and called for dialogue between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia based on their previous peace roadmap. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council chairman Rashad al-Alimi announced on 4 October the launch of a military operation to retake areas recently controlled by the Houthis. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The announcement was made in Riyadh, the Saudi capital. [ 2 , 3 ]
- In his televised address al-Alimi said he had ordered the armed forces, security services and allied forces to execute the operational plan, and offered amnesty to Houthi fighters who lay down their weapons and stop fighting, according to China News Service. [ 3 ]
- Saudi-led coalition spokesman Maliki said the coalition continues to provide the Yemeni government with full operational support, China News Service reported. [ 3 ]
Still unclear
- Which areas the operation is intended to retake, its scale and timing, and whether fighting has begun. The documents report the announcement but give no operational detail and no account of fighting on the ground.
- The Houthi claim that Saudi Arabia carried out 106 airstrikes and missile attacks in 24 hours. The figure comes only from the Houthi military spokesman as reported by China News Service; no other document in the set confirms it.
- The Saudi aid figures of more than 224 million riyals and over 12.6 billion dollars in total support. Reported by China News Service citing the Saudi news agency; the other documents do not mention them.
- The wording and status of the statement by Yemen's minister of foreign affairs and expatriates, referred to in the report as Zuba. It appears only in the China News Service account, and the document gives no further identification or context.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Xinhua publishes its report that the Yemeni government announced the start of an operation to retake areas recently controlled by the Houthis (4 October). [ 1 ]
- Jiemian publishes a summary of the 4 October announcement, attributed to Xinhua, saying Rashad al-Alimi made it in Riyadh (5 October). [ 2 ]
- China News Service publishes a detailed account of the televised address, coalition backing, Saudi aid payment, the Houthi report of 106 Saudi strikes and Iran's call for dialogue (5 October). [ 3 ]