Rashad al-Alimi Calls General Mobilization to Fight Houthi Rebels

Yemeni President Rashad al-Alimi called for a general national mobilization of citizens to join government forces and recapture the capital, Sanaa. In a televised address marking the 64th anniversary of the September 26 Revolution, al-Alimi offered a general amnesty to Houthi fighters who defect and cease hostilities. The call to arms follows a rapid Houthi offensive in western Yemen, where rebels captured Mocha and Mayyun Island, granting them control over the strategically vital Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

The escalation follows the collapse of a 2022 truce and has seen Houthi rebels intensify missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, specifically targeting the Taif and Yanbu regions. In response, Saudi Arabia is coordinating with Turkey and Pakistan under the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement. French President Emmanuel Macron announced the deployment of soldiers and defense systems to protect the Yanbu oil terminal, though he stated France does not intend to become involved in the conflict.

Government officials, including Vice-president Abdullah Abdulkader Al Alimi-Bawzer, warned that the Houthi militia is using navigation safety as a tool for global economic blackmail. While the Houthis claim they will not target European Union ships, the Yemeni government maintains that the rebels are holding the global economy hostage. The conflict, which began in 2014, has displaced approximately five million people.