As the United States and Israel prepare to launch a comprehensive operation against the Houthis, the Arab coalition, backed by the UAE and Saudi Arabia, has initiated a military offensive in the city of Taiz, located in southwestern Yemen.

In a statement issued by the Taiz Military Unit affiliated with the Arab coalition, it was reported that eight Houthi fighters were killed during an attack on a position held by army forces in the air defense front, northwest of the city center. Additionally, the statement noted that 15 Houthi personnel were wounded, while no details were provided regarding casualties on the side of the army units.

A subsequent statement released by the army yesterday claimed that the Houthi attack on the same front had been successfully repelled.

The city of Taiz holds strategic importance due to its location along a key road connecting it to the southern provinces, including Aden. The Houthis have maintained control over the capital Sanaa and several other regions since September 2014. In response, the Saudi Arabia-led coalition has supported the Yemeni government against the Houthis since March 2015.

With the withdrawal of Hezbollah from the conflict following a ceasefire, the overthrow of the Assad administration in Syria, and the decision by Iraqi militia forces to cease attacks on Israel, the Houthis remain the only group actively targeting Israel as a response to the violence in Gaza. In this context, both Israel and the United States are reportedly preparing for a large-scale operation against the Houthis, targeting their positions intermittently.

The Houthis, in turn, have escalated their threats, warning of potential strikes on U.S. targets in the Middle East if military operations in Yemen persist. Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, a member of the group’s Supreme Political Council, declared in a video posted on his X account (formerly Twitter):

“We warn the Americans not to target Yemen. Otherwise, we will attack American interests in the Middle East regardless of any red lines.”

He further stated:

“Either Israel’s attacks on Gaza and Yemen will stop, or we will target sensitive American targets that can ‘convey our message.’”

In response to a statement by Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the newly established government in Damascus under the leadership of HTS issued a strong warning. Khamenei had commented, “Syrian youth have nothing left to lose. We foresee the emergence of a strong movement in Syria.” In his first public message since taking office, Asaad Hassan Shaybani, Foreign Minister of the Syrian interim government, emphasized Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Posting on his official X account, Shaybani called on Iran to respect the sovereignty and the will of the Syrian people. He stated, “Iran must respect the will of the Syrian people, the sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the country. We warn Iran to refrain from spreading chaos in Syria and hold it responsible for the consequences of recent statements.”

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, speaking in Tehran, described the ongoing crisis in Syria as the result of foreign intervention. “A rebel group in Syria, with the planning and help of foreign powers, has used the weaknesses within the Syrian state to plunge it into chaos,” Khamenei remarked. Drawing parallels with Lebanon, he added, “Noting that Hezbollah emerged during the Lebanese civil war, we predict that a strong and honorable movement will emerge in Syria. Syrian youth, having nothing left to lose—their schools, universities, homes, and streets being unsafe—must mobilize with determination, stand against the architects of insecurity, and prevail over them.”

Following Hezbollah’s withdrawal from the war under a ceasefire agreement, the overthrow of the Assad regime in Syria, and Iraqi militias’ decision to cease attacks against Israel, attention has shifted to the Houthis, who remain the only external force actively opposing Israel’s actions in Gaza.

While the United States (U.S.) and Israel prepared to launch a comprehensive operation against the Houthis, the Arab coalition, supported by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia, mobilized their forces. In northern Yemen, Saudi Arabia intensified artillery strikes against Houthi targets, including the city of Saada. Concurrently, forces loyal to the Southern Transitional Council (STC), directly affiliated with the UAE, launched attacks on Houthi forces in the Taiz region.

Just hours before these assaults, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced plans for a forceful operation against the Houthis. Meanwhile, the U.S. Central Forces Command (CENTCOM) revealed via its X account (formerly Twitter) that preparations were underway for attacks against the Houthis using the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier.

Since 31 October 2023, the Houthis have conducted direct attacks targeting Israel in response to the nation’s actions in Gaza. In addition to these strikes, they have seized commercial ships off Yemen’s coast—allegedly linked to Israeli companies—and attacked several vessels using drones and missiles.

As a result of these actions, many shipping companies have suspended operations in the Red Sea. On 18 December 2023, the United States announced the formation of a multinational maritime task force called Operation Welfare Guardian. This coalition, involving multiple nations, aims to secure global maritime trade endangered by Houthi activity. The U.S. and UK have also organized attacks on Houthi positions as part of this operation.

According to Haaretz, Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz stated that Israel would deliver a “hard blow” to the Houthis. He emphasized plans to target Houthi strategic infrastructure and leadership, declaring, “We will do the same in Hodeidah and Sana’a as we did in Tehran, Gaza, and Lebanon against Heniyyeh, Sinwar, and Nasrallah.”

“We defeated Hamas, we defeated Hezbollah, we blinded Iran’s defense systems, and we disrupted their missile production capabilities,” Katz continued, adding that Israel would deal a severe blow to the Houthis. “Anyone who raises their hand against Israel will have their hand cut off. The long arm of the Israeli army will strike them, and they will face unprecedented retribution,” he threatened.

In a significant revelation, Katz also confirmed for the first time that Israel was behind the assassination of Hamas Political Bureau Chairman Ismail Heniyyeh in Tehran. While Heniyyeh’s death had previously gone unclaimed, this acknowledgment marks a pivotal development.