The facts
Yemen's internationally recognized government has announced it will wage an all-out war to retake all territory held by the Houthis, following recent exchanges of strikes between the two sides and the Saudi-led coalition. The Iran-backed Houthi group claimed responsibility for drone and ballistic missile attacks on Saudi Aramco sites in Riyadh and the Khurais area, stating they caused large fires. Saudi Arabia has not yet commented on these claims. The Yemeni government's announcement follows the Houthis' offensive last month, which resulted in their control of the country's coastline, including the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Yemeni President Rashad al-Alimi declared in a televised address on Sunday, "Today, I announce the start of military operations to retake the remaining territory of the republic and extend the authority of the state and its institutions across the entire national territory." Fighting remains focused around the city of Taiz, which the Houthis have reportedly encircled by cutting a vital supply route to Aden, the interim government capital. The BBC reports that the Houthis have made gains despite government efforts to weaken their military capabilities.
Our take
Well, strap the fuck in for another lap around the shitshow carousel. Yemen’s internationally recognized government, a title that apparently means 'we have a guy who can get on TV', has announced an 'all-out war' to reclaim land from the Houthis. President Rashad al-Alimi made this stunning, brave declaration from the safety of a broadcast studio, presumably while his actual authority extends about as far as the studio lights. He said they’re going to 'extend the authority of the state and its institutions across the entire national territory.' Someone should probably tell him the 'state’s institutions' currently consist of a folding chair in Aden and a PowerPoint presentation about sovereignty he can’t get to open because the Houthis cut the fucking internet. This grand proclamation of total war comes *after* the Houthis spent last month gobbling up the entire coastline like a hungry Pac-Man, including the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait. So the government’s brilliant new strategy is to announce they’re going to fight for territory they just lost, while the Houthis are actively strangling the key city of Taiz and lighting Saudi oil facilities on fire for fun. The Houthis claim their drone attacks caused 'large fires' at Aramco sites, because why wouldn’t they? The Saudi-led coalition, the government’s supposed muscle, hasn’t even bothered to comment, probably too busy checking their own smoke alarms. So here we are: the 'all-out war' announcement is the political equivalent of a toddler declaring he’s going to eat all his broccoli after he’s already thrown it on the floor. It’s a pathetic, hollow performance for the cameras from a government that can’t even keep a supply route open, trying to sound tough while getting its ass handed to it. Absolute clown show. The only thing being 'extended' here is the world’s patience with this never-ending, catastrophic dick-measuring contest where everyone loses and the only winners are the arms dealers and the funeral homes. What a bunch of pricks. Fuck off with your 'start of operations' - your operation is a fucking rerun, and we’ve all seen this episode. It ends with more rubble and more corpses, you vainglorious cunts. Get a new script.
