One Month Into Yemen's Offensive, Fighting Continues on Several Fronts
A month after Yemen's internationally recognised government launched its offensive on October 5, 2026, fighting continues across the country, and the Houthis have gained territory in the provinces of Taiz and Lahij in the south. Sanaa, the capital, has remained largely calm apart from recurring air strikes.
The offensive, called Operation Dawn of Yemen, is backed by a Saudi Arabia-led coalition. Its stated aim is to retake all Houthi-held territory, including Sanaa. The Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, which is Arabic for Supporters of God, have controlled Sanaa since September 2014.
The conflict has spread well beyond the capital. In September, the Houthis captured Mukha, a strategic port on the Red Sea, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data project. The Red Sea is linked to the Arabian Sea by the Bab al-Mandeb strait, a narrow waterway that has become central to the fighting. The Saudi-led coalition said it had recaptured key areas around the strait from the Houthis.
Both sides have reported heavy losses. Yemen's government said Houthi forces fired two missiles at Aden airport in mid-October. Government forces claimed advances in Marib province and said they had neutralised 430 Houthi fighters in 24 hours. Separately, Houthi attacks on a palace in Aden killed guards and cabinet members, and Houthi ballistic missiles struck a government military camp, killing at least 53 soldiers, according to Associated Press reporting.
The Houthis have also besieged Taiz, a city in the southwest, as part of a months-long offensive, and have repeatedly targeted government forces there with missiles and artillery. The Saudi-led coalition said in October that Houthis had attempted attacks on dozens of Saudi facilities.
The front line has moved closer to Aden, the seat of the government. Reuters reported on November 2 that the Houthis had advanced to within 80 kilometres of the city, citing sources. The same day, Saudi civil defence sounded an all-clear after alerts in southern Saudi cities, and Saudi Arabia carried out airstrikes against Houthi targets amid renewed fighting.
Government officials have said that supply problems will not halt the offensive and that their forces can overcome logistical challenges. A commentary published by Al Jazeera in mid-October described the Houthis as trying to raise the cost of the war for Saudi Arabia as attacks and fighting intensified.
Assessments of the first month are mixed. According to Yahoo News, the Houthis suffered losses but also inflicted pain on government forces and on Saudi Arabia.
