The military operation against the Houthis will continue until their coup is ended and state institutions are restored, said the head of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council on Tuesday.

In an address marking the 63rd anniversary of the Oct. 14, 1963 revolution, which led to Yemeni independence, Rashad al-Alimi said the “Dawn of Yemen” operation was advancing toward its ultimate objective of “ending the coup” by Iranian-backed Houthis, restoring state institutions, and placing weapons and decisions on war and peace exclusively in the hands of constitutional institutions. “This decision is now in effect, and there is no turning back, whatever the sacrifices,” he said.

He said the operation was launched “after exhausting opportunities for de-escalation,” accusing the group of insisting on continuing the war and expanding attacks on cities, villages, neighboring countries, and international waterways.

The operation’s purpose, he said, is to restore state institutions, protect citizens, and ensure that no armed group can override the popular will or threaten neighboring countries and international shipping routes.

Addressing developments in the province of Taiz, al-Alimi pledged that the state would continue working “with all its capabilities” to protect the province, reopen its roads, and ease residents’ suffering.

He said he had instructed the government, local authorities, and relevant agencies to mobilize available resources to meet urgent humanitarian needs, provide food and medicine, assist displaced people and affected families, and secure supplies and vital roads.

He added that protecting the south’s security and stability, and safeguarding its residents’ rights and aspirations, are an integral part of the state’s national responsibility. Message to residents of Houthi-controlled areas Al-Alimi told residents of Houthi-controlled areas that they are “not a target” of the operation, saying their security, rights, and dignity are among its principal motivations.

He urged them to protect their children from recruitment campaigns, avoid sending them into the group’s wars, and avoid military sites and combat zones.

He also called on them to take advantage of announced safe-return and amnesty measures, subject to their legal conditions.

Al-Alimi reaffirmed the council’s commitment to the “justness of the southern cause” and its support for the outcome of dialogue among southern parties under Saudi sponsorship.

He called for “a just and comprehensive solution that addresses past grievances, respects the popular will, and guarantees rights, partnership, and a secure future for all.”Condemnation of attacks on Saudi Arabia Al-Alimi condemned Houthi attacks on neighboring Saudi Arabia, particularly the strike on King Khalid International Airport, which he said killed and injured civilians and Umrah pilgrims of several nationalities. He also condemned attacks on civilian and vital facilities and threats to the security of holy sites.

Saudi Arabia’s security and stability are “closely linked to Yemen’s security and the interests of its citizens,” he said, adding that attacks on the kingdom’s security and civilian facilities constitute attacks on the Yemeni people’s vital interests and the stability of the entire region.

He thanked Saudi King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for supporting Yemen’s state institutions, armed forces, and security agencies.

Al-Alimi also praised Saudi assistance to Yemen’s economy and public budget, support for services and salaries, humanitarian relief, mine clearance, reconstruction, and development projects.

The statement came as a part of a military escalation that began in July, the most extensive since the relative calm that followed a UN-brokered truce that began in 2022.

Yemen has been engulfed in war since the Houthis seized Sanaa and several of the country’s 22 provinces in 2014, prompting an Arab coalition led by neighboring Saudi Arabia to intervene in 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government.