Sana’a, Yemen – Nayef has been a government soldier in South Yemen for nine years. When he joined government forces in 2016 – aged just 19 – he thought the Yemeni government’s war against the Houthi rebel group would be brief. A decade has passed, and the conflict with Houthi remnants in Sana’a is still far from over.
The reason for the government’s failure – the lack of unity and a clear command structure – was clear to Naif. For years, government troops and other anti-Houthi fighters have pursued conflicting agendas across the country, with many southern fighters backing the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC). The solution to that division, Naif thought, was far-reaching.
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However, recently, things have changed. The STC’s decision to seize all of southern and eastern Yemen was reversed, and Saudi Arabia supported Pro-government forces pushed the group back. The STC has now split, with one leader fleeing and others declaring the group disbanded.
The Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), Yemen’s UN-recognized authority headed by President Rashad al-Alimi, has taken the initiative and, on January 10, was established. Supreme Military Committee (SMC)with the goal of overseeing all anti-Houthi military units and integrating them into the official Yemeni army under one command.
Al-Alimi said the SMC would ultimately be a vehicle to defeat the Houthis and reclaim all of Yemen.
The SMC announcement marks a dramatic turn in the decade-long war, and Naef is now – finally – optimistic.
“Today I am optimistic because the government has revived some of its power in southern Yemen,” he told Al Jazeera. “The establishment of a comprehensive military committee is a morale booster and a prerequisite for the return of a strong government.”
This soldier believes that the government has finally changed its side after many years of building up. After nine years of experience on multiple fronts, Naf now feels the government – backed by Saudi Arabia – is capable of pushing into Houthi-controlled northwest Yemen if negotiations fail.
“The PLC has made remarkable gains in the south with the support of the Saudi leadership over the past few weeks. It has once again proven to be an indispensable party to the conflict. Whether this success will be short-lived or lasting remains to be seen,” Naf said.
Anxiety and disobedience
The establishment of the SMC has raised concerns among Houthi supporters in northern Yemen.
Hamza Abdu, a 24-year-old Houthi supporter from Sana’a, describes the new military committee as “an attempt to organize a proxy in the south”.
“This committee may end the friction between militant groups in the south, but it will further increase the south’s influence over Saudi Arabia,” Hamza said. The Houthis have often framed their opponents as proxies controlled by foreign powers, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. They are supported by Iran.
In light of the developments, Hamza shared one concern: the resumption of war between the Houthis and their opponents, which has been largely frozen since 2022.
“If this military committee succeeds in mobilizing the forces of the South, they can provoke an attack on the North,” he said. “A new devastating war will begin and the humanitarian ordeal will escalate.”
Hamza, like many ordinary citizens, now fears a resumption of war. But Houthi leaders – while warning their forces to remain vigilant – are still confident that the creation of the SMC will not affect their power or weaken their control.
Aziz Rashid, a pro-Houthi military expert, believes that the SMC position will not change, arguing that any future conflict with the Houthis “will only serve the agenda and plans of the United States-backed Zionist entity (Israel)”.
Rashid indicated that the Houthi forces in Sanaa faced “international and powerful military forces, including Sanaa.” United StatesBritain and Israel, and has stood firm against the (Saudi-led Arab) coalition over the last 10 years”.
Rashid said a political solution is the only solution for Yemen.
The Iran-backed Houthis captured Sanaa in September 2014 and dropped In February 2015, the UN-recognized Govt. They are the sole legal authority governing Yemen.
The Houthis have faced attacks from the US, the United Kingdom and Israel since 2023, when the Yemeni group began attacking shipping in the Red Sea and in Israel, with the Houthis declaring solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza.
A terrible message
The Saudi-backed coalition failed to do so with overwhelming air power early in the war, and the group’s now extensive combat experience and possession of advanced weaponry, including drones and missiles, will make it easier to defeat the Houthis.
But there may be an opportunity if the Yemeni army really regroups itself and integrates the various anti-Houthi forces on the ground.
Adel Dashela, a Yemeni researcher and non-resident fellow at the MESA Global Academy, said that if the SMC is able to provide security and stability in the region it controls, it will be able to improve the lives of Yemenis living there – and put itself in a stronger position in any negotiations with the Houthis.
“The next step is the beginning of the political process to reach an agreement with the Houthi group. If the peaceful option fails, military action is necessary,” Dashela told Al Jazeera.
Abdulsalam Mohammed, head of the Yemeni Abad Studies and Research Center, believes that recent developments – both inside and outside Yemen – provide the government with a great opportunity to confront the Houthis.
“A limited military operation defeated the UAE-backed STC within days,” Mohammed said. “What happened to the STC in the south sent a terrible message to the Houthis in the north. The Houthis are not invincible.”
According to Mohammed, several factors have increased the vulnerability of the Houthis at present.
He explained, “Iran is going through a major crisis, and this could weaken Tehran’s Houthi proxy. Given the economic and governance problems in the areas under their control, popular silent anger against the group continues to grow. Furthermore, Exiting the UAE It would enable the Yemeni government from the south to shift the fight to the Houthis in the north.
Desperate for order
Armed groups in Yemen have grown over the past decade. It has resulted in weak governments and protracted wars. In this confusion, the population has been affected.
Fawaz Ahmed, 33, a resident of the southern city of Aden, hopes the formation of the military committee will end the presence of armed groups in Aden and other southern cities.
Fawaz expects Aden to reap two immediate benefits from the establishment of the SMC: an end to illegal collection of money from fighters and an end to infighting between rival armed units.
He recalled an incident last August in Aden’s Khormaksar district, when two military units clashed at the headquarters of the Immigration and Passport Authority, shutting down the facility for several days.
“Commanders of armed groups issued conflicting directives and soldiers opened fire on each other. This clearly points to a lack of unified leadership. Hence the announced military committee will avoid such confrontations,” Fawaz said.
“We are desperate for law and order,” Fawaz said. “Desperate for a city free from unnecessary military presence. This is a collective dream in Aden. Only joint military leadership can achieve this.”