Yemen's internationally recognised government has announced a major military campaign against the Houthis, as fighting intensifies and Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia prepare for an emergency meeting in Riyadh.
Yemen's long-running conflict has entered another tense phase after the country's internationally recognised government announced a large-scale military operation aimed at regaining territory controlled by the Houthi movement.
The announcement came on Sunday, just before senior officials from Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia were due to meet in Riyadh to discuss the rapidly changing security situation in the region.
Yemen announces a new military campaign
The operation was announced by Rashad al-Alimi, head of Yemen's internationally recognised Presidential Leadership Council.
Al-Alimi said government forces had been instructed to begin operations to restore state control over territory held by the Houthis.
The announcement followed a period of renewed fighting between the two sides and came after previous attempts to reduce tensions failed to produce a lasting de-escalation.
The Yemeni government has received significant support from Saudi Arabia during the conflict and is now seeking to regain areas that have come under Houthi control.
Fighting intensifies around Taiz
The situation has become particularly serious around Taiz province.
According to reports cited by international news agencies, fighting in and around Taiz resulted in more than 70 reported deaths over a 24-hour period.
The two sides provided different figures for their casualties.
Sources associated with the internationally recognised government reported that dozens of its troops had been killed, while Houthi military sources reported deaths among their own fighters.
Because the figures come from opposing sides in an active conflict, independent verification of the exact number of casualties remains difficult.
The fighting has also affected important transport routes. Security sources said the Houthis had cut a key road connecting Taiz with Aden, the interim base of Yemen's internationally recognised government.
The development could make it more difficult to move people and supplies through the region.
Houthis maintain control over large parts of Yemen
The Houthi movement, officially known as Ansar Allah, has controlled Yemen's capital, Sanaa, and large parts of the country's northwest since 2014.
The group has survived years of military pressure from Saudi Arabia and its regional partners.
The conflict has repeatedly drawn international attention because of Yemen's strategic location near the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, one of the world's important maritime routes.
Control over this area has broader implications for international shipping and regional security.
Red Sea tensions add another dimension
The latest escalation is also connected to the wider instability surrounding the Red Sea.
The Houthis have previously carried out attacks in the region, while Saudi Arabia and its allies have conducted military operations against Houthi targets.
The movement's recent territorial advances along parts of Yemen's Red Sea coast have increased concerns about the security of important shipping routes.
The strategic importance of the Bab al-Mandab Strait means that developments in Yemen can have consequences far beyond the country's borders.
Any prolonged disruption in the area could affect commercial shipping and increase pressure on countries already dealing with wider regional instability.
Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia prepare for talks
Against this backdrop, the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia are scheduled to meet in Riyadh.
Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said the emergency meeting would focus on recent Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia.
The meeting will take place through the Strategic Political and Defence Committee of the Makkah Defence Alliance.
Turkish officials said the discussions would cover recent developments in the region as well as efforts to further establish the alliance's institutional structure.
Senior Turkish officials, including Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Defence Minister Yasar Guler, are expected to participate.
Representatives from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia will also attend.
Why the Riyadh meeting matters
The meeting comes at a particularly sensitive moment.
Saudi Arabia is directly involved in the Yemen conflict, while Pakistan and Türkiye are important regional partners.
The three countries have been working to develop closer defence and political cooperation through the Makkah framework.
The latest escalation in Yemen gives the alliance an immediate security issue to discuss.
For Pakistan, the situation also has wider regional implications because Islamabad has repeatedly emphasised the importance of stability in the Middle East and the protection of key trade and energy routes.
Saudi Arabia faces continuing Houthi attacks
The escalation has involved attacks from both sides.
The Houthis have reported launching missile and drone attacks toward Saudi targets, while Saudi forces have carried out airstrikes against targets in Yemen.
Reports indicate that fighting continued over the weekend, with both sides accusing the other of escalating the conflict.
The situation remains fluid, and developments on the ground could influence the discussions taking place in Riyadh.
What happens next?
The immediate focus will be on the military campaign announced by Yemen's government and whether government forces can make significant gains against the Houthis.
At the same time, regional governments will be watching the situation closely because of its potential impact on Saudi security and Red Sea shipping.
The emergency meeting in Riyadh could provide an opportunity for Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia to coordinate their positions and discuss ways of responding to the latest developments.
However, the conflict in Yemen has continued for years despite multiple diplomatic and military efforts, making a quick resolution uncertain.
For now, the combination of renewed fighting, attacks involving missiles and drones, and growing concern over strategic waterways has placed Yemen once again at the centre of regional security discussions.
The bigger picture
The latest offensive is more than another episode in Yemen's civil conflict. The country's location beside the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait gives the fighting international significance.
If hostilities continue to expand, the effects could be felt through regional security, international shipping and relations between Middle Eastern and South Asian countries.
The Riyadh meeting involving Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia will therefore be closely watched as the three countries assess the rapidly changing situation.
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