Yemen's internationally recognised government has announced an all-out war to reclaim territory held by the Houthi movement.

The declaration came after a week of intensified strikes between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition that supports the government. The Iran-aligned Houthis said they targeted facilities of the Saudi national oil company Aramco in retaliation for what they described as 50 coalition air raids carried out within a 12-hour period. Saudi authorities have not publicly responded to the claim.

In a televised address on Sunday, President Rashad al-Alimi stated that military operations would begin immediately to recover all remaining Houthi-controlled areas and extend state authority across the country. The statement followed a recent Houthi offensive that secured control of Yemen's entire Red Sea coastline, including the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait.

Government forces have focused recent efforts on the city of Taiz, a key battleground in the south-west. According to three Yemeni military sources cited by the news agency AFP, the Houthis have cut the main supply route linking Taiz with Aden, the interim seat of the government. Analysts noted that while the group has not yet fully seized Taiz, it has achieved its objective of isolating the city.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed responsibility for a coordinated missile and drone strike on Aramco infrastructure in Riyadh and the Khurais oil field, stating that the attacks "successfully achieved their objectives" and caused extensive fires. This marks one of several recent assertions by the group of successful attacks on Saudi oil sites, which Riyadh has previously dismissed as exaggerated.

Saudi Arabia has responded with air strikes against Houthi positions in several regions, including Sanaa, Saada and areas near Taiz. The Houthi-run Al-Masirah television channel reported that at least two civilians were wounded in Sunday's strikes.

The current escalation follows a period of relative calm after renewed fighting erupted in July, when the Houthis expanded their control along the Red Sea coast. The group's recent gains have disrupted Saudi plans to use alternative export routes for oil, a development that benefits Iran, the primary patron of the Houthi movement.

Yemen has endured a protracted conflict since 2014, when the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, from the internationally recognised government. A Saudi-led military intervention began the following year, leading to one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises. The United Nations has repeatedly warned of famine and widespread displacement, with millions reliant on international aid.

The latest round of hostilities underscores the fragility of regional stability, with implications for global energy markets and broader geopolitical dynamics in the Middle East.