Yemen: the government launches an offensive to retake all territory from the Houthis

Canberra, October 5, 2026. Australian media are covering the announcement by the Chairman of Yemen's Presidential Council, Rashad al-Alimi, as a turning point in the regional war rather than a purely Yemeni episode. According to The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald, which picked up a dispatch from Beirut, the Riyadh-backed government intends to retake all the territory lost over the past twelve years, "plunging the Middle East even deeper into war". The text adds that Alimi's announcement "seemed to rule out any hope of a truce".

The ABC recalls that the Houthis have held Sanaa and the northwest, where most of the population lives, since 2014, and that they have resisted attacks by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and their Western allies. Their surprise offensive last month gave them control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and some 150 kilometres of coastline on the Red Sea. The ABC sees this as the opening of a new front in the US-Israeli war against Iran, which began in February. A military spokesman called on the Houthis to lay down their arms.

SBS highlights the paradox of an ambitious goal when the terrain is turning in favour of the Houthis. According to four security sources, they cut off the road between Taiz and Aden, the provisional seat of the government, on Sunday. The media quotes Alimi: the country must be freed from the "grip of the Houthi terrorist militia". The same dispatch indicates that the Houthis have again targeted Saudi oil infrastructure.

PerthNow, which picked up a dispatch, puts the resumption of hostilities into the calendar of the war with Iran. The 2022 truce had largely held, but fighting resumed after the Houthis declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia in July. Regional officials had told Reuters that Riyadh and its Yemeni allies were preparing an assault, with the Saudis providing air support and the Yemeni forces conducting the ground offensive. The Houthis have maintained the initiative on the ground.

The ABC reports the Houthi claims of missile and drone attacks on Aramco sites in Riyadh and the Khurais region, in retaliation for 50 Saudi strikes in 12 hours. The Age quotes spokesman Yahya Saree, who promises not to stop his "painful operations against the Saudi enemy". He also specifies that the Houthis describe government fighters as Saudi mercenaries. The pressure on maritime routes and energy markets, already shaken by the war with Iran, is mentioned in several texts.

Ottawa, October 5, 2026. In the Canadian press, the Yemeni offensive is first and foremost a regional front issue. The Globe and Mail reports that the Saudi-backed government announced on Sunday a "vast military campaign" to retake all areas held by the Houthis, who are supported by Iran. The President of the Presidential Council, Rachad al-Alimi, promised in a televised address to pursue the offensive "until the country is liberated from the grip of the terrorist militia." A military spokesman then called on the Houthis to lay down their arms.

The daily newspaper recalls that the Houthis, formally Ansar Allah, have held Sanaa and vast parts of the northwest, where the majority of the population lives, since 2014. They have resisted years of attacks by Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, and their Western allies, and have modernized their arsenal with the help of Tehran. Last month, their surprise offensive captured the Bab el-Mandeb strait and some 150 km of coastline on the Red Sea in just a few weeks. This advance has opened, the newspaper writes, a new front in the American-Israeli war launched in February against Iran, whose responses have included the strangulation of oil traffic in the Strait of Ormuz.

On the same day, the Houthis claimed to have launched ballistic missiles and drones at Aramco sites in Riyadh and the Khurais region, in retaliation for what they describe as 50 airstrikes and missile strikes by the coalition in 12 hours. The Globe notes the absence of immediate confirmation of these damages.

Mohamed Fahmy's column in the National Post takes the analysis further. For him, the war in Yemen "is no longer simply an internal conflict" but a dangerous proxy war between Houthi rebels supported by Iran and government forces supported by Riyadh. He wonders what will happen if Tehran fully mobilizes its allies: the Strait of Ormuz transported around 20% of the world's oil before the war, and Bab al-Mandab is an artery for around 12% of global maritime trade. He describes a Saudi Arabia "alone" in defending global trade.

The text also recalls a specifically Canadian fact: Canada designated Ansarallah as a terrorist entity in 2024, and the UN maintains a sanctions regime targeting Houthi leaders. This reminder inscribes the coverage in Ottawa's official position, more than in the follow-up to the human toll or the cut-off roads around Taiz.

Paris, October 5, 2026. On Sunday, October 4, the head of Yemen's Presidential Council, Rachad al-Alimi, announced "the launch of military operations to retake the territories of the Republic that remain to be reconquered," according to the phrase reported by RFI, Le Monde, and Sud Ouest. He called on the armed forces to carry out their missions "in accordance with approved plans," according to France 24, until the country is liberated from what he calls the "Houthi terrorist militia."

The French press places this announcement alongside the military setback of the day. Le Monde, citing AFP, reports that the pro-Iranian Houthists cut off the axis connecting Taiz to Aden, the seat of the recognized government, on Sunday, and are now encircling the city, the third most populous in the country. A local police source mentions the capture of the Al-Safiya sector, the main road, and the police station, and witnesses describe intense fighting in Al-Safiya and Al-Samsara. The newspaper speaks of a "new setback" for the government forces and their Saudi ally.

Skepticism dominates the comments of experts. Interviewed by RFI, Sébastien Boussois judges the offensive to be hardly credible. He recalls that Saudi Arabia is struggling to secure its pipeline and that the Americans do not seem determined to help the president, whom he says "does not control much." Sud Ouest quotes Farea al-Muslimi, from Chatham House, who describes the announcement as "insignificant" due to the very limited air capabilities of the government. According to him, the insurgents have achieved their goal of "isolating Taiz from Aden."

The humanitarian aspect remains present but secondary. Sud Ouest reports over 70 deaths in 24 hours. It reports the concern of UN envoy Hans Grundberg over road closures that hinder the escape of inhabitants in a sector hosting "the majority of recently displaced Yemenis." Ahmed Nagi, from the International Crisis Group, warns that the humanitarian and military situation could deteriorate very quickly.

The regional context serves as a backdrop. RFI indicates that the resumption of hostilities in July opened a new front in the war in the Middle East. The Houthists, who have controlled Sanaa since 2014, took the western coast on the Red Sea in September after a lightning offensive. France 24 recalls the capture of the strategic port of Mocha.

Jérusalem, October 5, 2026. Israel's government notes that the Jerusalem Post reported the announcement made on Sunday, October 4, by Rachad al-Alimi, head of the Yemeni Presidential Council backed by Riyadh, of the start of military operations to retake the territory still in the hands of the Houthis, described as "terrorists" supported by Iran. In a televised address, the leader stated: "Today, I announce the start of military operations to retake the remaining territory of the republic," in order to extend the authority of the state to the entire country.

The daily recalls the sequence of events. Saudi Arabia entered the Yemeni civil war in 2015 at the head of an Arab coalition. A truce concluded in 2022 has largely held until this year, when the Houthis launched missile and drone attacks against navigation and Saudi oil infrastructure, which the newspaper presents as an overflow of the war with Iran. Regional and Western officials had indicated to Reuters that Riyadh and its Yemeni allies were preparing an assault, with the Saudis leading the air combat and the Yemeni forces leading the ground combat.

The Jerusalem Post, however, tempers the government's momentum: the Houthis have maintained the initiative on the ground, a few weeks after taking the Bab el-Mandeb strait during a lightning offensive along the coast, which saw the collapse of government forces. The newspaper emphasizes the stakes: Bab el-Mandeb, the southern exit of the Red Sea between the Mediterranean and Asia, has taken on even more importance this year as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, "effectively closed" by the conflict with Iran. It also reports Houthi gains over the past 48 hours against government and local forces.

Haaretz shifts the focus to diplomacy. Its article, dated October 5, states that high-ranking American officials met in secret at Camp David on Friday, October 2, to examine options for action in Iran and Yemen, and that their agendas were beginning to be shaped by the fighting between the Houthis and the Saudi coalition. The newspaper's title emphasizes that the Saudis are keeping an eye on the diplomatic path even as the offensive is being prepared. The available content of the article is limited and does not detail the American options or Riyadh's precise position.

The two newspapers thus converge on one point: Yemen is not being treated as an isolated war, but as a theater of the regional confrontation with Iran, where maritime security and the arbitrations of Riyadh and Washington are being played out.

New Delhi, October 5, 2026. The Indian press, through Deccan Chronicle and Times of India, covers the Yemeni announcement from a military angle, emphasizing the gap between the stated ambition and the situation on the ground.

Deccan Chronicle, quoting a news agency dispatch, reports that the head of the Presidential Council, Rashad al-Alimi, announced on Sunday, October 4, "the start of military operations to retake the remaining territories of the Republic" and extend state authority over the entire territory. He called on the armed forces to carry out their missions "until the country is freed from the grip of the Houthi terrorist militia." The newspaper describes the goal as "ambitious" for a "besieged" government, which has recently lost large areas of the Red Sea coast and areas near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, presented as a strategic point of passage for global trade, after a lightning Houthi offensive supported by Iran.

The same text notes that the announcement came just hours after the Houthis cut off a vital supply route between Taiz, a besieged city, and Aden, the provisional capital of the government, according to four security sources. It observes that Riyadh, despite its military support, is struggling to reverse the dynamics.

Times of India focuses on the Saudi aspect. The daily reports that the Houthis claim to have launched ballistic missiles and drones against Aramco facilities in Riyadh and the Khurais area, causing, according to them, large fires. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claims that up to 60 airstrikes and missile attacks targeted Sanaa and other areas under their control in 24 hours. The newspaper specifies that there was no immediate Saudi confirmation.

On the government side, the armed forces spokesman announces "painful strikes against vital targets" in Sanaa and Saada. The Houthis respond with the equation "siege for siege, escalation for escalation" and promise to continue targeting the gatherings of "Saudi enemy" troops.

Both articles remain focused on the belligerents and their statements. They relay the claims of each camp, with attribution, without developing the situation of civilians or the positions of the UN or India itself.

Kuala Lumpur, October 5, 2026. In the Malaysian press, the announcement made on Sunday, October 4, by Rashad al-Alimi is first read on the military map. The Sun MY, quoting a dispatch, reports that the head of the Yemeni Presidential Council announced "the launch of military operations to retake the remaining territories of the Republic", until the country is liberated from what he calls "the Houthi terrorist militia". The media highlights the contrast: the goal is described as "ambitious" for a "besieged" government, while the Houthis, supported by Iran, are making progress.

Malay Mail, which publishes an AFP dispatch dated October 4 from Dubai, details the setback of the day. According to four security sources, the Houthis have cut off the supply route between Taiz and Aden, the provisional seat of the recognized government. A local police source claims they have taken the al-Safiya area, "cut the main road" and the police station; three military sources confirm the encirclement of the city, held by government forces but long besieged from the north, east, and west.

The narrative inserts these events into a larger sequence. The war, relaunched in July against the backdrop of the conflict's expansion in the Middle East, intensified in September: the Houthis seized the entire Red Sea coast, including the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a vital maritime route. They also reportedly launched a blockade of Saudi energy exports, already compressed by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz decided by Iran. Malay Mail also recalls that the war broke out in 2014 and that Riyadh intervened in 2015 at the head of a coalition.

It is The Vibes that offers the most regional reading, under the title "Iran-US war widens to Yemen". On Monday, October 5, the Houthis launched missiles and drones at Saudi oil installations, while pro-government forces struck targets in Sanaa and Saada. Brent gained 0.79% to $103.06 a barrel, WTI 0.50% to $91.57. A tanker was also targeted by explosions about 60 nautical miles south of Al Mukha, according to the UKMTO; the crew is safe and sound.

The human dimension remains thin: Malay Mail merely notes that Yemen is one of the poorest countries in the world, "gripped by a vast humanitarian crisis". The dominant angle remains that of the balance of power and maritime corridors, with Tehran being cited as "more ready than before" in the event of new US military action.

Islamabad, October 5, 2026. The Pakistani press covers Yemen mainly from a military perspective, largely reproducing Reuters and AFP dispatches.

On Sunday, October 4, the chairman of Yemen's Presidential Council, Rashad al-Alimi, announced the start of military operations. According to The Express Tribune, Business Recorder, and ARY News, he stated in a televised address that he wants to "retake the remaining territories of the Republic" and extend state authority "over the entire national territory." Business Recorder specifies that he called on the armed forces to act "until the country is liberated from the grip of the Houthi terrorist militia." Al-Alimi claims that "all opportunities for de-escalation" have been exhausted. The articles recall that, according to regional and Western officials cited by Reuters, Saudi Arabia is preparing this offensive, with Saudi aviation providing support and Yemeni forces on the ground.

The same texts note that the Houthis maintain the initiative on the ground. ARY News mentions a "lightning offensive" that gave them control of the Bab al-Mandab Strait a few weeks ago, while the Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed due to the conflict with Iran. Business Recorder, citing four security sources, indicates that the Houthis cut off the road between Taiz and Aden on Sunday and effectively encircled Taiz. It also writes that government forces have failed to repel their latest advances.

The Houthis claim to have launched ballistic missiles and drones against Aramco sites in Riyadh and the Khurais area in response to 50 Saudi strikes in 12 hours. According to The Express Tribune, Riyadh has not confirmed. Business Recorder adds that the Houthis have launched a blockade of Saudi energy exports.

Daily Times gives the floor to the coalition. Its spokesperson, General Turki al-Maliki, judged on Saturday, October 3, that the Houthi claims about Riyadh were "deceptive." He speaks of "imaginary victories" and heavy Houthi losses in Taiz. The newspaper cites Yemeni information indicating around 5,000 Houthi fighters lost in one week and 257 precision operations by Yemeni forces. It also refers to an article on the joint commitment of Islamabad and Riyadh in the face of attacks against the Kingdom.

The humanitarian aspect is minimal. Business Recorder merely recalls that Yemen is one of the poorest countries in the world, "facing a vast humanitarian crisis." The appeals of the UN envoy and the toll of over 70 dead in 24 hours do not appear in the provided articles.

Doha, October 5, 2026. Al Jazeera and Gulf Times present the announcement by the Chairman of the Presidential Council, Rashad al-Alimi, as a military turning point. On Sunday, October 4, in a televised address, he declared the start of operations "to retake the remaining territories of the Republic and extend the authority of the State over the entire national territory", until the country is liberated. Gulf Times also reports that he spoke of the "Houthi terrorist militia". The Qatari text sees this as "the last major escalation" of the war.

The context is based on two facts. Last month, the Houthis, supported by Iran, seized a large part of the Red Sea coast. On Sunday, security sources cited by AFP indicated that they had cut off the main supply route to Taiz and effectively encircled the city. Gulf Times notes that, despite Saudi support, government forces have not been able to repel these gains.

Al Jazeera devotes an explanatory piece to Taiz, the most populous governorate in the country, with nearly 4.5 million inhabitants. The coastal region, which includes the port of Mokha and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, was taken by the Houthis at the beginning of September. The media outlet mentions the fear that they will strangle international maritime traffic and describes the battle for the government as "strategic and existential". It also mentions the fate of civilians, with a Yemeni family who spent a week on the road fleeing a Houthi offensive.

The Arabic version of Al Jazeera uses the vocabulary of the government command. On Monday, October 5, the army spokesperson, Colonel Majed Abdullah al-Nazili, announced 1,122 precise targeting operations and 1,747 Houthi fighters "neutralized" on the fronts of Saada, Jawf, Taiz, and the coast. On Sunday, the channel reported 700 Houthis killed according to the army. The spokesperson for the coalition, Turki al-Maliki, affirms that it remains committed to the State.

Gulf Times puts the episode into the context of the regional war. The resumption of fighting between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia poses a risk to navigation in the Red Sea and to energy exports already disrupted by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. The newspaper recalls that Houthi attacks on ships, which began in November 2023, have resumed this year in response to the US war against Iran.

The sources of this corpus largely stick to the announcements of the Yemeni and Saudi authorities. The figures are attributed to the government army, and the file is treated from the angle of reconquest.

Moscow, October 5, 2026. Russian agencies and newspapers are covering the announcement of the Yemeni offensive as an ongoing military operation, in a dispatch tone. TASS quotes, from Doha, Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of the Presidential Council, who orders "military operations to retake the remaining territories of the Republic" and move "from the preparation phase to the liberation phase". According to the same source, he assures that the campaign "is not a war against civilians", promises amnesty to Ansar Allah fighters who lay down their arms, and urges his troops to refrain from any revenge.

The narrative then unfolds on the Houthi side. Interfax picks up the spokesperson Yahya Saree, who claims that Saudi Arabia carried out 106 air and missile strikes in one day, on Sanaa, Al-Jawf, Taiz, Amran, Hajjah, and Saada. Vedomosti relays his claims of rocket and drone attacks on two Aramco sites, in Riyadh and Khurais, which allegedly caused large fires. RT specifies that the coalition disputes the Houthi version of the attack near Riyadh and considers it an attempt to "distract attention" from its losses, and that Saudi Aramco has not commented. TASS also reports that the Houthis claim to have forced two Saudi F-15 formations to leave the skies of Taiz.

The maritime dimension holds a central place. Meduza, citing Reuters, recalls that the Houthis now control the entire Yemeni coast of the Red Sea, which threatens a key oil export route in the Middle East, which has become crucial due to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. RT details the capture of Moka, then the island of Perim in the middle of Bab al-Mandab. TASS reports an incident on Monday, October 5, near Moka, where a tanker saw several explosions nearby, with no casualties according to the UKMTO.

On the ground, Russian media note the Houthi advance towards Turbah and the Taiz-Aden road, according to Houthi-friendly media cited by RT, while Moskovski Komsomolets, citing the Israeli site Ynet, mentions a government land offensive to lift the siege of Bab al-Mandab. Meduza emphasizes that the Saudi intervention launched in 2015 has not achieved its objectives and that active fighting had almost ceased since 2022.

The human toll, the appeals of UN envoy Hans Grundberg, and Saudi budgetary aid do not appear in the articles in the corpus.

Riyadh, October 5, 2026. In the Saudi press, the Yemeni offensive is first and foremost that of a state taking back control. Asharq Al-Awsat reports that the Chairman of the Presidential Council, Rashad al-Alimi, announced on Sunday the start of military operations "to reclaim the remaining territory of the republic", marking the transition "from a phase of preparation and mobilization to open military action". The decision, he says, was made after the necessary procedures and based on decisions from the National Defense Council.

Al-Alimi justifies the choice due to the exhaustion of opportunities for de-escalation: the state has given peace "sufficient time and opportunities", while the Houthis have responded with more mobilization, attacks, and threats against civilians, neighboring countries, and international maritime routes. He specifies that this is not a war against the inhabitants of Houthi areas, nor against a confession or a tribe. He asks them to move away from military positions and supply lines, and reiterates the announced amnesty.

The coalition's spokesperson, Major General Turki al-Maliki, affirms that the joint command will continue to provide "full operational support" to the Yemeni forces to "end the Houthi coup". He lists the grievances against the Houthis: internal blockade, forced displacement, famine, recruitment of child soldiers, as well as attacks against the Kingdom, notably against Riyadh, Abha, Jazan, Najran, and Yanbu.

On the ground, Asharq Al-Awsat describes Houthi pressure isolating Taiz from its southern countryside. The Houthis are said to have taken Al-Safiya and Al-Barkani and cut the road between Al-Turbah and the city. The newspaper also reports government gains in Al-Maqarm and Al-Zakira, later retaken by the Houthis, and an advance towards Jabal al-Jaasha. Field sources are calling for immediate reinforcements.

The financial aspect complements this account. The Saudi Program for Development and Reconstruction of Yemen is providing more than 224 million riyals (59.7 million dollars) for operating expenses and salaries. Saudi Gazette recalls more than 12.6 billion dollars in aid between 2012 and 2026 and 300 projects in eight sectors.

Singapour, 5 October 2026. Channel News Asia and the Straits Times, which reproduce agency dispatches, present the Yemeni announcement of Sunday, 4 October as a more risky military gamble than a acquired turning point.

The President of the Presidential Council, Rachad al-Alimi, stated: "I announce today the launch of military operations to retake the remaining territories of the Republic and extend the authority of the State over the entire national territory". He called on the armed forces to act "in accordance with approved plans, until the country is liberated from the grip of the Houthi terrorist militia", according to the formulation reproduced by CNA.

The narrative emphasizes the gap between the displayed ambition and the situation on the ground. CNA writes that the announcement sets "an ambitious goal" for a weakened government, which has recently lost large areas of the Red Sea coast and the approaches to the Bab al-Mandab strait, "a strategic passage point for international maritime trade", after a lightning offensive by the Houthis supported by Iran. The government is struggling to reverse the trend, despite military support from Saudi Arabia.

The two titles describe the encirclement of Taiz. A few hours before the announcement, the Houthis cut off the supply route between the city and Aden, the provisional seat of the government, according to four security sources. CNA quotes a witness indicating that the Houthis have taken the al-Safiya area, cut off the main axis and seized the police station. The CNA title reports more than 70 dead around Taiz, according to sources from both camps.

The Straits Times puts the episode into a longer sequence. Saudi Arabia entered the war in 2015 at the head of an Arab coalition. A truce concluded in 2022 has largely held until 2026, when the Houthis launched missiles and drones against Saudi navigation and oil installations, an overflow of the war with Iran. According to regional and Western officials cited by Reuters, Riyadh and its Yemeni allies were preparing an assault, with the Saudis providing air support and the Yemeni forces fighting on the ground. The newspaper notes, however, that the Houthis have maintained the initiative on the ground.

The humanitarian aspect appears in summary: the newspaper mentions widespread hunger and displacement affecting millions of people, with disrupted supplies. The dominant register remains that of the balance of power and the security of maritime routes.

Ankara, October 5, 2026. The internationally recognized Yemeni government has declared total war on the Houthis, according to BBC Türkçe. From Riyadh, the President of the Presidential Council, Rashad al-Alimi, announced on October 4, in a address to the nation, the start of military operations "to retake the remaining territories of the Republic and extend the authority of the state to the entire national territory".

The Turkish-speaking channel of the BBC reports this announcement after a series of cross-attacks between the Houthi militiamen, supported by Iran, and the coalition led by Saudi Arabia. The Houthis claim to have struck Aramco facilities in response to 50 coalition strikes in 12 hours. Riyadh had not yet reacted at this stage. The text recalls that the Houthis have held Sanaa for over ten years and that they seized a strategic coastal section last month, including the Bab al-Mandab Strait: a response from the government was therefore expected. Security sources note that the Houthis, although constantly targeted by the coalition, continue to make gains.

Daily Sabah emphasizes the Saudi aspect. The coalition's spokesman, General Turki al-Maliki, deemed the Houthi claims of an attack on Riyadh "misleading" after AFP reports of flames and smoke at an oil site near the Saudi capital. He stated that the Houthis are "chasing imaginary victories" and are struggling in Taiz, the third city of the country, largely held by government forces. The Saudi authorities have not commented.

The newspaper recalls that the fighting resumed in July after several years of calm. The government, based in Aden, controls most of the south and east, a larger but less populated region, while the Houthis hold the northwest, including Sanaa. The Houthi lightning offensive last month targeted the strategic Bab al-Mandab coast. The rebels also struck Saudi territory, notably the Yanbu oil terminal on the Red Sea, according to their own claims, and announced a naval blockade targeting Saudi ships in the Red Sea.

The two titles therefore deal with the file through its military and energy dimension: front lines, oil facilities, maritime strait. Civilians and UN mediation efforts do not occupy a visible place in the provided excerpts.

London, 5 October 2026. For the BBC, the headline is clear: the Yemeni government announces a "total war" to retake all territory held by the Houthis. The head of the internationally recognized government, Rashad al-Alimi, stated on Sunday, in a televised address: "Today, I announce the start of military operations to retake the remaining territory of the republic and extend the authority of the state and its institutions across the entire national territory."

The British channel puts the announcement into sequence: it follows an exchange of strikes between the Houthis and the coalition led by Saudi Arabia. The movement, supported by Iran, says it has hit sites of the Saudi oil group Aramco in retaliation for what it describes as 50 coalition strikes in twelve hours. Saudi Arabia, the BBC notes, has not yet commented. The government statement, it judges, was "expected" after the Houthi offensive last month, which gave the movement control of the country's coast, including the Bab al-Mandab strait, a vital maritime route.

The British account is primarily military. Sanaa, in Houthi hands for over ten years, is undergoing sustained attacks, which extend to the Saada region, the movement's northern stronghold. But security sources affirm that the Houthis continue to advance. The front is concentrated around Taiz, still held by the recognized government. On Sunday, according to AFP cited by the BBC, the Houthis cut the supply route connecting Taiz to Aden, the provisional capital of the Yemeni executive.

The Independent places Yemen in a news thread dedicated to the Iran-US war. The newspaper relays Tehran's warning: the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the conditions set in a June interim agreement are met, according to the Nournews agency. The President of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, rules out any reopening before the satisfaction of "seven conditions", including the lifting of economic sanctions and a complete halt to hostilities. The Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, mentions a possible reopening in seven days if Tehran's plan is accepted.

In the same vein, The Independent reports that the Houthis claim a ballistic missile attack on the Aramco refinery in Riyadh, in retaliation for Saudi strikes on Sanaa and other provinces. Yemen thus appears as a theater connected to the maritime and energy tensions of the Gulf, rather than as an isolated civil war.

The United States, October 5, 2026. For the American press, the offensive announced on Sunday, October 4, by the President of the Yemeni Presidential Council, Rachad al-Alimi, is of interest to the United States primarily due to its strategic consequences. ABC News, quoting a dispatch, reports that from Saudi Arabia, he declared his intention to "retake the remaining territories" held by the Houthis. The latter achieved their largest territorial conquest in years the previous month, according to ABC, by seizing the Yemeni coast of the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. Al-Alimi called on the international community to support his government, which is backed by Riyadh.

Axios emphasizes the global stakes. According to the site, one of the objectives of the operation is to regain control of Bab al-Mandeb, a "vital artery of global trade and Saudi oil exports." The capture of the coast gives the Houthis, and Iran, which supports them, a "powerful lever" over the United States, their Gulf allies, and the global economy. Axios quotes al-Alimi: "We have exhausted all possibilities of de-escalation with the Houthi militias."

Axios describes a counter-offensive that has been prepared for weeks: tens of thousands of soldiers on the ground, Saudi air cover, and the stated objective of retaking Sanaa. The Houthis have fired missiles at Saudi targets, including Aramco installations.

The heart of the American narrative is Washington's position. Despite Riyadh's requests, the United States is not engaging in direct combat against the Houthis "for now." According to American officials cited by Axios, they are providing intelligence and targeting support. Axios writes that Donald Trump is "torn between" the desire to help Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, his friend and ally, and the desire to avoid getting bogged down on a new front in the Middle East. The Central Command (CENTCOM) also had serious reservations about strikes in Yemen, seeing them as a distraction from its focus on Iran, according to an American official.

ABC places the announcement in a regional panorama: the President of the Iranian Parliament, the main negotiator of direct talks with the United States earlier in the year, claims that Washington recently transmitted proposals through a mediator, without giving details. The Houthis, meanwhile, have been besieging Taiz for over a decade and have disrupted the road connecting the city to Aden, the seat of the government. Yemen thus appears, from the US perspective, as a piece of the confrontation with Tehran.