Yemen’s National Defense Council Orders Expanded Operations Against the Houthis

Yemen’s National Defense Council has ordered an expansion of air and missile deterrence operations against Houthi sources of attack, alongside closer coordination among military commands and formations across the country.

The decision coincided with an announcement by the Yemeni Armed Forces that they had conducted 133 operations against Houthi personnel, positions and military capabilities over the previous 24 hours. The operations involved ground forces, multiple-launch rocket systems, artillery and unmanned aircraft. The military has not yet released a geographic breakdown of the strikes or an assessment of Houthi losses.

The escalation follows renewed Houthi ballistic missile and drone attacks targeting Marib, the western coast and government military positions in western Hadramout. Government forces have intensified their response, particularly on the Marib and western coastal fronts.

In a parallel diplomatic development, U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Neil Hope met Presidential Leadership Council Vice-Chairman Abdulrahman Al-Mahrami to discuss political, security and military developments, including Houthi attacks on civilians, commercial vessels and international shipping routes.

The U.S. Embassy⁠ described Al-Mahrami as leading one of Yemen’s most effective forces in the fight against Iranian proxy control and praised his support for national unity. According to Yemen’s official Saba News Agency⁠, the talks also addressed counterterrorism, arms smuggling, maritime security and support for Yemeni state institutions.