Yemeni government forces, supported by Saudi Arabia, began a military counteroffensive against the Iran-backed Houthi movement on Sunday, seeking to reclaim areas controlled by the rebels. Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, announced the operation in a speech.

“We have exhausted all opportunities for deescalation with the Houthi militias,” Rashad al-Alimi said.

Why It Matters: A central objective of the campaign is to restore control over the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a strategically important shipping passage for international commerce and Saudi oil shipments.

The Houthis’ control of parts of Yemen’s Red Sea coastline near the strait has provided the group, along with its Iranian backers, with significant leverage over the United States, its regional Gulf partners and the global economy.

Although Saudi Arabia has urged Washington to become more directly involved, the United States is not currently participating in combat operations against the Houthis. American forces are instead providing intelligence and assistance with targeting, according to U.S. officials.

The Military Campaign: The offensive has been in preparation for several weeks through coordination between Yemen’s internationally recognized government and Saudi Arabia.

Tens of thousands of troops aligned with the Yemeni government are taking part in the ground campaign.

Saudi Arabia’s military role primarily involves providing aerial protection for Yemeni forces while carrying out airstrikes against Houthi positions and military assets.

The broader objective is to recapture Sanaa, Yemen’s capital, which the Houthis have controlled for years.

Meanwhile, the Houthis continued firing missiles toward Saudi Arabia over the weekend, targeting locations that included facilities belonging to state-owned oil company Aramco.

The Political Dilemma: President Donald Trump faces competing considerations as he weighs how much assistance to provide Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a close ally, without drawing the United States into another military conflict in the Middle East.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has also expressed significant concerns about conducting military strikes in Yemen, considering such an operation a potential diversion from its primary focus on Iran, a U.S. official said.

On Thursday, Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman spoke by phone with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. During the conversation, he outlined the planned offensive and again requested American airstrikes against Houthi targets, according to the official.

Another U.S. official said Washington “is not going to take kinetic action for now,” while emphasizing that the administration could reconsider its position if the military campaign encounters difficulties.

What Happens Next: On Friday, senior members of Trump’s administration gathered at Camp David for several hours to examine developments in the war with Iran and the escalating conflict in Yemen, as Axios first reported.

It remains uncertain whether the discussions produced any new recommendations for Trump concerning potential American involvement in the Yemen campaign.