Dozens killed as humanitarian crisis mounts in Yemen: What next for war?

A missile struck a market in Yemen’s Taiz governorate on Friday, killing dozens, while the government and Houthi rebels blamed each other. The attack comes a month into a government offensive against the Houthis, as fighting spreads and displacement deepens; analysts say the stated aim of restoring government control may prolong the war rather than bring a quick victory.

The offensive, launched on 5 October by the internationally recognised government, seeks to retake Houthi-held territory, including Sanaa, and secure the Red Sea corridor and Bab al-Mandeb strait. Government forces report gains across Taiz, Lahij and Marib, and the Presidential Leadership Council says 40,761 operations have been carried out, claiming around 20,000 Houthi figures and members and more than 5,000 vehicles were neutralised. An Aberdeen University analyst says taking Sanaa is not likely soon: government forces are stretched across fronts, while the capital’s mountain setting makes it difficult to capture.