Yemeni crowds in the city of Taiz called for completing the battle to restore the state and lift the Houthi siege on the city, as the Houthis continue their military escalation in the Red Sea by targeting commercial ships and threatening international navigation, which portends further complications for the Yemeni crisis and puts peace efforts to a new test.

The city of Taiz (southwest of the country) witnessed on Thursday a massive popular march in which hundreds of thousands of people from the governorate participated to demand the lifting of the siege imposed on it for years, completing the battle of liberation, and declaring support for the decisions and directives of the political leadership represented by the head of the Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad al-Alimi.

Participants raised national flags and banners affirming adherence to the republican project, restoration of state institutions, and ending the coup, asserting that Taiz will remain at the forefront of governorates defending the republic and national constants.

The statement issued by the march, which was attended by the governor of Taiz, Nabil Shamsan, local authority leaders, army and security officials, political parties, and civil society organizations, announced full support for what was stated in the speech of the head of the Presidential Leadership Council, deeming it a national roadmap to restore state institutions, preserve sovereignty, end the coup, and alleviate the suffering of Yemenis.

The participants renewed their support for all measures taken by the Presidential Leadership Council and the government to protect the sovereignty of the republic, and rejected any attempts to impose a fait accompli outside state institutions. They also declared their support for resuming oil exports as a necessary step to restore sovereign resources, enable the state to pay salaries, improve services, and support the national economy.

Houthi falsehood

The statement affirmed that the governorate of Taiz, which has been under a continuous siege for years, represents the clearest evidence of the falsehood of Houthi claims regarding the siege, accusing the group of closing main roads, targeting civilians with shelling and sniping, and committing widespread violations against the population.

The statement called for uniting the national ranks and rallying around the political leadership and the armed forces, making the liberation battle a comprehensive national goal, considering that the unity of republican forces represents the fundamental guarantee to protect Yemen and thwart sectarian and racist projects.

The participants also expressed their appreciation for the support provided by Saudi Arabia to Yemen in the political, economic, developmental, and humanitarian fields, and its efforts aimed at restoring the state and achieving peace.

The statement called on the international community to take a firmer stance towards the Houthis, and to work on drying up their sources of funding and arms, affirming the readiness of the people of Taiz to contribute to the battle to restore the state until the completion of liberation and the achievement of peace based on extending state sovereignty over all Yemeni territories.

Omani statement

The Yemeni messages coming from Taiz coincided with the announcement by the Sultanate of Oman that it continues coordination with Saudi Arabia, Yemeni parties, and the UN Special Envoy to Yemen with the aim of resuming the political track and implementing the roadmap.

The Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it is following with concern the recent developments in the Red Sea, where the Houthis have resumed attacking commercial ships, stressing the importance of avoiding escalation and anything that could threaten freedom of navigation or increase tension in the region.

#Statement | The Sultanate of Oman is closely following the latest developments related to the situation in the Red Sea region, and stresses the need to avoid escalation and any threats that would worsen the situation and endanger freedom of navigation. The Sultanate of Oman is currently working in coordination with the brethren in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni parties... pic.twitter.com/Il7WbNYH4f

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs (@FMofOman) July 23, 2026

It added that its efforts focus on resuming the political process in Yemen in a way that achieves security and stability, amid growing concerns about the impact of military developments on the chances of reaching a political settlement.

A responsible Saudi source had announced that the ship 'Ensilia' belonging to a Saudi company was targeted while sailing in the Red Sea, causing a fire in its front, while confirming the safety of all crew members and taking necessary measures to secure the ship and protect the marine environment.

The source stressed that targeting commercial ships represents a violation of international laws and norms that guarantee the security of navigation and the safety of maritime crews.

Military readiness

In parallel with these developments, Yemeni Defense Minister Taher al-Aqili held a military meeting in Marib Governorate that included Chief of General Staff Lieutenant General Sagheer bin Aziz, heads of the Operations and Logistics Support departments, deputy heads of the Manpower and Intelligence departments, and commanders of the Third, Sixth, and Seventh Military Regions, in the presence of representatives from the leadership of the Coalition to Support Legitimacy.

The meeting reviewed developments in the military situation in the theater of operations, and mechanisms to enhance coordination and integration between military units and formations to ensure raising performance efficiency in carrying out national tasks, in light of recent field developments.

Yemeni Defense Minister chairs a meeting of senior military leaders (Saba)

The Yemeni Defense Minister directed to maintain the highest levels of readiness and vigilance, and enhance the level of coordination between various military units and formations, which contributes to raising the level of operational performance and dealing with field developments efficiently, at a time when the Yemeni arena is witnessing simultaneous military and political escalation.

The Houthi escalation sparked Yemeni and regional movements, as the Yemeni National Defense Council approved military, security, and economic measures to confront various scenarios, while the coalition supporting legitimacy announced the implementation of operational measures to protect ships belonging to its countries while crossing the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

"); googletag.cmd.push(function() { onDvtagReady(function () { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-3341368-4'); }); }); }