Yemeni government announces “liberation war” offensive against Houthi forces
In short
Yemen's government announced on October 4 the launch of a military operation against the Houthi movement, with army spokesman Majid al-Nuzaili calling it a “liberation war” to recover all national territory and offering pardons to Houthi fighters who lay down their arms. Presidential Leadership Council chairman Rashad al-Alimi announced the operation earlier the same day in Riyadh. In the same regional context, Yicai reported, citing CCTV News, that another oil tanker was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz on October 4 and that Iran said any aggression would meet a heavier response.
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Yemen's government announced on October 4 the launch of a military operation against the Houthi movement. Army spokesman Majid al-Nuzaili said in a video statement that the operation was a “liberation war” aimed at “recovering all national territory and establishing complete national sovereignty”, and called on Houthi fighters to lay down their weapons and stop fighting, saying they would be pardoned. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
Earlier the same day, Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council who exercises presidential powers, announced in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, the start of a military operation to recapture areas recently controlled by the Houthis. [ 3 , 4 ]
Citing informed sources, Jiemian reported that the operation would be led by Saudi Arabia in the air, with Yemeni government forces handling ground combat, that the United States provides intelligence support for Saudi operations in Yemen, and that some regional and European countries mainly supply Saudi Arabia with defensive military assistance. The other documents do not report these arrangements. [ 3 ]
The announcement comes amid wider regional escalation. Yicai reported, citing CCTV News, that the Houthis and Saudi Arabia have been exchanging attacks as spillover from the US-Israel-Iran conflict, and that another oil tanker was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz on October 4. An Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said Iran's current focus is the Strait of Hormuz issue and that the United States needs to take concrete measures to ensure the strait's security. [ 1 ]
Iran also said it is willing to push the Houthis and Saudi Arabia to resolve the conflict through dialogue, according to Yicai. On the wider US-Israel-Iran conflict, Iran said any act of aggression would meet a heavier response, and its military said it had decided to begin increasing its missile range. [ 1 ]
The documents do not say which areas the operation targets, what forces are committed, or how far it has progressed. The reported roles of Saudi Arabia, the United States and European states rest on a single outlet's account of informed sources. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Why it matters
A new Saudi-backed offensive by Yemen's government against the Houthis opens another front in a region already strained by the US-Israel-Iran conflict, and the documents tie it to attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The reported division of roles — Saudi air power, Yemeni government ground forces, US intelligence support and defensive aid from regional and European states — points to a wider set of outside parties. The documents do not indicate how far the operation is expected to go.
Key facts
- Yemen's government announced on October 4 the launch of a military operation to recapture areas recently taken by the Houthi movement. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Army spokesman Majid al-Nuzaili said in a video statement that the operation was a “liberation war” to “recover all national territory and establish complete national sovereignty”. [ 3 , 4 ]
- Nuzaili called on Houthi fighters to lay down their weapons and stop fighting, saying they would be pardoned. [ 3 , 4 ]
- Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council exercising presidential powers, announced the launch of the operation in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, earlier on October 4. [ 3 , 4 ]
- Citing informed sources, Jiemian reported the operation would be led by Saudi Arabia in the air with Yemeni government forces on the ground, that the US provides intelligence support for Saudi operations in Yemen, and that some regional and European countries mainly provide defensive military assistance to Saudi Arabia. [ 3 ]
- Yicai, citing CCTV News, reported that another oil tanker was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz on October 4 and that Iran said the US must take concrete measures to ensure the strait's security. [ 1 ]
- Iran said it is willing to push the Houthis and Saudi Arabia to resolve the conflict through dialogue, that any act of aggression would meet a heavier response, and that its military has decided to begin increasing its missile range. [ 1 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Yemen's government announced on October 4 the start of a military operation against the Houthis. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Army spokesman Majid al-Nuzaili issued a video statement declaring a “liberation war” and offering pardons to Houthi fighters who stop fighting. [ 3 , 4 ]
- Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council, announced the operation in Riyadh, the Saudi capital. [ 3 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- Which areas the operation aims to recapture and how far it has progressed. The documents report only the announcement and give no front lines, targets or results.
- The division of roles in the operation, including Saudi Arabia leading the air campaign, US intelligence support and defensive military assistance from regional and European countries. These details appear in one outlet, Jiemian, attributed to informed sources, and are not confirmed by any other document.
- Who carried out the reported attack on an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz and whether it is directly connected to the Yemen operation. Yicai reports the attack via CCTV News but does not name a perpetrator or state a link to the Yemeni government's operation.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Yicai reports, citing CCTV News, that the Yemeni government announced on October 4 a military operation to retake areas recently controlled by the Houthis, that Houthi and Saudi forces have been exchanging attacks, and that another oil tanker was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz on October 4. [ 1 ]
- Yicai publishes a follow-up item stating that the Yemeni government army has announced the start of a “liberation war”. [ 2 ]
- Jiemian reports, citing CCTV International, that Rashad al-Alimi announced the operation in Riyadh earlier on October 4 and that spokesman Majid al-Nuzaili later issued a video statement declaring the “liberation war”. [ 3 ]
- CLS reports the two October 4 announcements by al-Alimi and Nuzaili. [ 4 ]