Yemeni Army Ready for Ground Offensive Against Houthis, Says Top Military Advisor

General Mohammed Ali Al-Maqdashi, Military Advisor to Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council and former Minister of Defense, stated that the Yemeni Armed Forces have been ready for years to launch a ground offensive against the Houthi rebels, but that the final decision lies with the political leadership.

In an interview with BBC Arabic’s “Without Restrictions”, Al-Maqdashi emphasized that the national army is deployed across various regions of the country—from the coast to the south, east, and north—including key areas such as Marib, Al-Jawf, Al-Bayda, and Al-Hodeidah. He said the forces are awaiting the green light from the Presidential Leadership Council to begin operations.

Al-Maqdashi dismissed reports of serious disputes among the Yemeni factions supporting the legitimate government, affirming their unity in facing the Houthi threat.

While the truce declared in 2022 has not officially ended, Al-Maqdashi noted that the legitimate government retains the right to revoke it at any time, especially given the growing international awareness of the Houthis’ threats to maritime navigation.

He acknowledged that U.S. airstrikes have dealt significant blows to Houthi capabilities, but asserted that military resolution requires a full-scale ground intervention. Though he expressed regret over civilian casualties, he blamed the Houthis for dragging the country into its current state.

Al-Maqdashi also accused certain elements in Oman of smuggling weapons to the Houthis, though he clarified there is no conclusive evidence implicating the Omani government itself.

He rejected claims that Yemen’s political and military leaders are absent from the country, confirming that government officials continue to return and that the government headquarters remains active in Aden.

Defending his tenure as Defense Minister, Al-Maqdashi highlighted his success in reorganizing the national army under extremely difficult conditions. He said that delays in achieving military victory were due to international interventions and the Stockholm Agreement.

He reiterated that the Houthis would not survive without Iranian support and that they had seized most of the Yemeni army’s weapons following their 2014 coup.

Al-Maqdashi assured that Yemen’s various factions will unite once the Houthis are defeated, citing the formation of a joint operations room to coordinate military action.

He also warned that the Houthis are exploiting the Palestinian cause for political gain.

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