Government announces a new campaign
Yemen's internationally recognised government says it has started a major military operation to take back territory held by the Houthi movement, including the capital, Sanaa.
Rashad al-Alimi, who leads the presidential council, made the announcement in a televised speech on Sunday. He said the aim is to reclaim the remaining areas under Houthi control and restore state authority across the country.
On Monday, government forces said they had retaken key positions near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. The strait is a narrow passage at the southern end of the Red Sea that carries a large share of world shipping between Asia and Europe.
Houthis push back
The Houthis said Saudi aircraft struck the capital Sanaa on Saturday and again early on Sunday. The Saudi-led coalition did not confirm those strikes.
In response to what it called more than 50 airstrikes on Sanaa and other areas, the Houthis said on Sunday that they had hit energy facilities in Saudi Arabia. Saudi officials have not commented on those claims.
Fighting has spread along several front lines. Near the city of Taiz, government soldiers have been trying to hold the road that links Taiz to the port city of Aden. The Houthis have tried to cut that route.
Why the timing matters
The clashes mark a sharp change for a war that had been largely frozen for years. In early September the Houthis launched their own offensive and later took the Red Sea port of Mocha, which gave them a new base on the coast.
That advance raised concern about attacks on commercial shipping. Several shipping firms have rerouted vessels away from the Red Sea over the past two years, adding days and fuel costs to journeys between Asia and Europe.
Analysts say the government's counter-offensive is an attempt to reverse those losses before the Houthis can dig in. Sanaa has been under Houthi control since 2014. Taking it back would be a long and costly operation, and no side has yet reported a change in control of the capital.