Yemen’s political forces unite behind call to defeat Houthis
ADEN – A bloc of 22 Yemeni political parties and groups on Wednesday called for “comprehensive and decisive” action against the Houthis to defeat the Iran-backed movement and restore state institutions, signalling an effort to forge a more cohesive political front as fighting intensifies across the country.
The National Bloc of Political Parties and Groups issued its statement after a meeting to assess recent military and political developments.
The bloc includes some of Yemen’s largest political parties, among them the General People’s Congress, the Yemeni Congregation for Reform, the Yemeni Socialist Party, the Nasserist Unionist People’s Organisation and the Yemeni Al-Rashad Union.
The meeting discussed what the bloc described as “military escalations by the Iran-backed Houthis on the fronts in Marib, the western coast and elsewhere.”
The bloc said Yemen stood at a “crossroads” because of what it called Houthi aggression and urged Yemenis to remain vigilant and prepare for all possibilities.
It said the conflict would end only with the defeat of the Houthis and restoration of state institutions, adding that the coming battle would be “comprehensive and decisive” and would end Yemen’s political crisis.
The statement also expressed full support for the Presidential Leadership Council headed by Rashad al-Alimi and its efforts to restore state control across Yemen.
The formation of the bloc brings together political forces with different ideological and historical backgrounds behind a common objective: defeating the Houthis and restoring state institutions. Whether that political alignment can translate into effective military coordination, however, remains uncertain.
The group could help improve coordination among political and military forces operating on several fronts, particularly in Marib and along the western coast, while pushing the anti-Houthi camp towards a more unified strategy.
But its influence will depend on whether its members can overcome longstanding divisions and translate their political declaration into practical arrangements, including unified military command, coordinated operations and reliable logistical support.
The bloc accused the Houthis of “a flagrant violation of de-escalation efforts and the political solution”, describing their continued campaign as evidence of what it called a movement pursuing a regional agenda at odds with Yemen’s interests.
It also called on Yemenis to support the battlefronts and said it fully backed the Presidential Leadership Council’s efforts to restore state institutions and extend their authority across the country.
The bloc stressed that “victory in the battle against the Houthi coup will only be achieved through national unity and protecting all components of Yemeni society”.
On the ground, Yemen’s military said on Wednesday it had thwarted an attempted Houthi infiltration in Taiz province in southwestern Yemen.
The official Saba news agency quoted an unnamed military source as saying government forces had “forced the Houthi elements to flee and retreat”.
The military said on Tuesday that a number of Houthis had been killed or wounded in drone strikes carried out on the Al-Salou front in southeastern Taiz.
The latest clashes come after more than four years of relative calm following a truce that began in April 2022 in a war that erupted nearly 12 years ago between government forces and the Houthis, who have controlled Sana’a and several other provinces since September 2014.
The truce sharply reduced fighting and opened the way for diplomatic efforts, but failed to produce a final political settlement or restore government control over areas held by the Houthis.
In recent weeks, clashes have intensified in several provinces, including Marib, Al-Jawf, Dhale and Taiz, raising fears that Yemen’s fragile de-escalation could give way to a wider confrontation.
The stakes are particularly high for the anti-Houthi camp, which has long struggled with competing political agendas and divided military structures. A more coherent political front could strengthen its position, but any sustained offensive would also expose those divisions to a much more difficult test.
The humanitarian and economic consequences would be severe. Yemen already faces one of the world’s most acute humanitarian crises, and a renewed nationwide escalation could deepen displacement, disrupt aid deliveries and place further pressure on an economy already weakened by years of war.
The bloc’s declaration therefore represents both a political mobilisation and a test. If its members can turn their common position into coordinated action, it could mark a new phase in the struggle against the Houthis. If it remains primarily a political statement, its impact on the battlefield is likely to be limited.