Yemen's internationally recognized government launched a military offensive against Houthi rebels on the Red Sea coast on Monday, October 5, 2026. The Saudi-led coalition is providing air cover for Yemeni armed forces, with 100 fighter jets reported to have taken part in the operation.

Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, announced the military operation in a televised address. "We have instructed the armed forces, security forces and all military formations to begin carrying out their assigned tasks under an approved plan until the country is liberated from the Houthis," he said.

The offensive follows territorial losses for the government earlier in the year. In September 2026, Houthi forces overran Yemen's coastal cities and seized control of territory near the Bab al-Mandab strait. The Houthis captured the town of Turbah in southwestern Yemen on Sunday, October 4, 2026.

Brigadier-General Majid Abdullah al-Nuzaili provided details on the scale of the counter-offensive. He said Yemeni government forces launched 1,122 attacks against Houthi sites in Saada, al-Jawf, Taiz, and along the coast. Al-Nuzaili said 1,747 Houthi fighters were killed in the operations. Yemeni government forces said they had regained control of the Dhubab district on the west coast near the Bab al-Mandab strait.

Houthi leadership issued warnings regarding the involvement of these nations. "By God, if Turkey and Pakistan become involved, we will strike them with an iron fist," said Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a senior member of the Houthis. The Houthis claimed they launched ballistic missiles and drones at Saudi Aramco sites in Riyadh and the Khurais area of Saudi Arabia in response to what they said were 50 Saudi-led air and missile strikes in Yemen in the past 12 hours.

Pakistan maintains a substantial military presence in the kingdom. Pakistani military forces have deployed 8,000 troops in Saudi Arabia to assist in defending the kingdom’s borders and countering Houthi threats. Pakistan has deployed 30,000–40,000 troops to Saudi Arabia to defend its borders and assist in counter-drone operations, according to Pakistani and Gulf officials. Pakistan has 8,000 troops, 16 Chinese-made JF-17 Thunder fighter jets, combat drone squadrons, and a surface-to-air missile battery in Saudi Arabia.

Other international actors have also committed resources. France and the UK said they would offer defensive assistance to Saudi Arabia. France has committed to sending defensive systems and troops to Saudi Arabia to help protect key locations like the Red Sea port city of Yanbu from Houthi attacks.

Greece is operating US-made Patriot missile batteries in Saudi Arabia. The United States is providing intelligence to support Riyadh’s operations in Yemen.

Why It Matters

This offensive represents an escalation in a conflict that began in 2015, when Saudi Arabia led a coalition of Arab states in a military intervention in Yemen to restore the internationally recognized government and counter Houthi advances. The Saudi-led coalition has conducted over 100,000 air strikes in Yemen since 2015, according to the UN, with civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure. The current fighting threatens the Bab al-Mandab strait, a critical global chokepoint for shipping.

In July 2026, Saudi Arabia announced a maritime alliance involving 15 nations to protect shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden from Houthi attacks. The Houthis captured the strategic Bab el-Mandeb strait and some 150 km (90 miles) of Red Sea coast in a matter of weeks prior to the October 2026 offensive.

Timeline

In July 2026, Saudi Arabia attacked the airport in Sanaa, Yemen, to prevent the landing of an Iranian plane carrying high-ranking Houthi officials. Also in July 2026, Saudi Arabia announced a 15-nation maritime alliance to safeguard shipping through the Red Sea, the Bab al-Mandeb strait, and the Gulf of Aden. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on August 7, 2026.

What's New

Additional reporting provides context on the historical and logistical dimensions of the conflict. In 2015, Saudi Arabia led a coalition of Arab states in a military intervention in Yemen to restore the internationally recognized government and counter Houthi advances. In August 2026, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, which includes provisions for mutual defense against attacks on any of the signatories.

Pakistan sent four cargo planes carrying air defense systems, drones, and anti-drone equipment to Aden, Yemen, in late September 2026, as part of its military support for the Saudi-backed government. The Saudi-led coalition has destroyed 324 high-value Houthi targets since the 'Dawn of Yemen' operation began, according to Saudi coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki.

Yemeni forces have mobilized over 100,000 troops for the offensive against the Houthis, according to regional and Western officials cited in Defense News. Yemen's internationally recognized government launched a major military offensive against Houthi rebels on the Red Sea coast on Monday, October 5, 2026. Brigadier-General Majid Abdullah al-Nuzaili said Yemeni government forces launched 1,122 attacks against Houthi sites in Saada, al-Jawf, Taiz, and along the coast.