Al-Alimi announces the “Dawn of Yemen” operation to liberate the capital Sanaa from the Houthis

Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, has announced the launch of the “Dawn of Yemen” military operation, with the declared aim of restoring state institutions, liberating the capital Sanaa and ending the “coup of the Houthi militia”, as Al Jazeera reports.

In a public post, al-Alimi declared: “With God’s help, 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 towards a new dawn of freedom, peace and stability.”

The Houthis — the Iranian-backed armed group, also known as Ansar Allah — seized Sanaa by force in 2014 and subsequently installed their own government. They control the northern and north-eastern parts of Yemen, as well as strategic areas near the Red Sea coast taken last month. Al-Alimi, who is backed by Saudi Arabia, had announced on Sunday the launch of the offensive to retake all territories under Houthi control.

The announcement comes at a moment when fighting has escalated significantly on several fronts, including the area of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, where government forces claim territorial gains — a development signalling that the battle for Yemen’s future is entering a new and dangerous phase.