Air strikes have resumed on Yemen's capital Sanaa after the internationally recognised government announced a new military offensive, Operation Dawn of Yemen, to oust Houthi forces who have held the city since 2014. At least one child has been killed and seven civilians wounded in attacks that residents say have revived fears of the devastating Saudi-led bombing campaign that began a decade ago.
The head of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad al-Alimi, announced the offensive earlier this month, according to Al Jazeera. Government ground forces remain hundreds of miles from Sanaa and are engaged in fighting on the west coast and around Taiz, meaning the assault on the capital relies on air power.
Since the operation began, dozens of strikes have hit Sanaa. An attack on Monday in the Sa'wan area of Sanaa governorate killed a child and wounded seven other civilians. A separate strike on Sanaa's international airport killed two workers, both targeting what the government says are Houthi sites.
The Yemeni government has pledged to continue its attacks until it recaptures the capital. For residents, the bombing recalls Operation Decisive Storm, the Saudi-led coalition campaign launched in March 2015 that killed hundreds of civilians in Sanaa.
Ghamadan Abood, a 30-year-old courier and Sanaa resident, told Al Jazeera: "When I learned about the new operation on Sunday, my feeling of security shrank. At any time and anywhere, air strikes may hit, and civilians could become the next casualties."
The offensive has occurred alongside broader escalation. The Houthis launched a deadly attack on Riyadh airport that drew international condemnation, and the government has warned that hospitals in Taiz are near collapse as the group tightens its siege. Regardless of political loyalties, many Sanaa residents fear their city will become a war zone again.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Civilian casualties in Sanaa risk repeating the devastation of the 2015-2022 conflict, which killed hundreds of thousands
- The offensive threatens a 2023 truce that had largely held between the government and Houthis
- Regional escalation is already occurring, with a deadly Houthi attack on Saudi Arabia's Riyadh airport drawing international condemnation
Background
Yemen has been mired in civil war since 2014, when Houthi forces seized Sanaa and overthrew the internationally recognised government. A Saudi-led military coalition intervened in 2015, launching air strikes that caused extensive civilian casualties. A United Nations-brokered truce in 2023 largely halted large-scale fighting and reduced air strikes on the capital. The new government offensive, Operation Dawn of Yemen, marks a significant breakdown of that relative calm, with the government seeking to reclaim Sanaa militarily. The Houthis continue to control large parts of the north and have escalated cross-border attacks on Saudi Arabia.
Key Perspectives
Yemeni government and its allies: The Presidential Leadership Council views the recapture of Sanaa as essential to restoring state authority. It has pledged to continue the air campaign until military objectives are achieved, despite civilian casualties.
Houthi leadership: The group has held Sanaa for over a decade and is unlikely to surrender without heavy fighting. It retains significant military capability, including drones and missiles used against Saudi Arabia, and controls territory far beyond the capital.
Civilians in Sanaa: Residents report growing fear as air strikes resume on the city, with memories of previous bombing campaigns still fresh. Those who remain face the possibility of being caught between Houthi military positions and government bombardments, with limited options to flee.
What to Watch
- Civilian casualty figures and whether the air campaign expands to other urban areas
- Progress of government ground forces toward Sanaa and the status of fighting on the west coast and around Taiz
- International reaction, particularly from Saudi Arabia and the UN, and whether diplomatic efforts resume to prevent a full-scale return to war