Yemen’s presidential council vows to step up ‘deterrence’ measures against Houthis

Mohammad Sio

Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council on Tuesday approved additional “deterrence” measures against the Houthis, vowing to press ahead with efforts to restore state institutions and end the group’s control of Yemen, the official Saba news agency has reported.

The council met in Saudi capital Riyadh at a meeting attended by all its members.

The meeting focused on military, security and economic developments, and the government’s strategic options for confronting continued Houthi escalations as part of efforts to restore state institutions and end what they described as the Houthis’ “coup,” Saba reported.

The council said the Aden-based government “continues efforts to restore state institutions, extend its authority across the country, and end the humanitarian suffering caused by the Iran-backed Houthi group.”

It said the armed forces and other military formations “are ready to carry out their constitutional duties, seize the initiative, and increase the cost of Houthi escalation by targeting the group’s leadership, capabilities and sources of funding.”

The council approved “further comprehensive deterrence measures” aimed at ending Houthi control, along with “necessary measures” to protect civilians, sovereign facilities and national interests.

The measures include preemptive action against sources of threats, command-and-control centers, and military capabilities being used to target government forces, civilians and vital facilities, it said.

The council said that “successful operations” by the armed forces in recent weeks had sent a message that “the era of cities being overrun and civilians and national facilities being targeted without consequences is over,” warning that any new escalation would carry direct consequences for those responsible.

Fighting between government forces and the Houthis resumed in several parts of Yemen in early July, including Marib in central Yemen, Al-Jawf in the north, and Al-Dhale and Taiz in the southwest.

Yemen had experienced relative calm since 2022 following years of war between government forces and the Houthis, who seized control of much of the country — including capital Sanaa — in 2014.

A Saudi-led coalition supports Yemen’s Aden-based government and its armed forces, while Iran is accused of supporting the Houthis, who announced a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia in July.