Houthis launch major offensive in western Yemen, raising escalation fears

Key Points:

• The Iranian-backed Houthis have intensified military activities in Yemen, particularly launching a major offensive in the Hodeidah Governorate, aiming to seize strategic positions near the city of Hays on the Red Sea coast.
• Fierce clashes occurred in the southern countryside of Hodeidah, with dozens of casualties reported among both the National Resistance and Houthi militias during the Houthis' attempt to gain fire control over Hays using mortar shells and sniper units.
• Local anti-Houthi forces have criticized the UN ceasefire for restricting their ability to respond effectively to Houthi attacks, expressing frustration over being bound by truce commitments amid ongoing hostilities.
• Yemeni authorities, with intelligence cooperation from the National Resistance and State Security Service in Aden, dismantled a Houthi assassination cell responsible for killing a journalist and plotting the assassination of a general, highlighting ongoing covert Houthi operations.
• The National Resistance previously captured a Houthi cell involved in the assassination of Brig.-Gen. Yahya Wahish while attempting to flee via the Red Sea, underscoring continued targeted attacks by Houthi-affiliated militants.