Saudi-backed Yemen government soldiers ride in a pick-up truck near the Jabal Han front, west of the city of Taiz, following fierce battles.
“Battle of liberation” against Houthis has begun, says Yemeni military spokesperson
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Yemen’s internationally recognized government announced Sunday the start of military operations aimed at retaking territory held by the Houthi movement and restoring state institutions across the country.
In a statement, military spokesman Colonel Majed Abdullah Al-Nazili said government forces had begun what he called the “battle of liberation,” aimed at restoring state institutions and ending the Houthi takeover.
He called on fighters with the Houthi movement to lay down their weapons, while praising the Saudi-led Coalition to Support Legitimacy for its support of the Yemeni government.
The spokesman said government forces were advancing toward what he described as Houthi strongholds.
The announcement follows a sharp escalation in fighting between government forces and the Houthis, including clashes around Taiz.
Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi announced earlier the start of military operations to retake remaining Houthi-held territory, saying all “avenues for de-escalation had been exhausted”.
The escalation marks a major shift in Yemen's conflict, which began after the Houthis seized Sanaa in 2014.
Fighting has intensified in recent weeks after a fragile truce collapsed.
The renewed offensive also comes amid heightened regional tensions and concerns over the security of the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb maritime corridor.
