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The Iran-backed Houthis are trying to turn Yemen into a platform that threatens the region and the world, Yemeni Foreign Minister Afrah al-Zouba said in an interview with Türkiye's state-run Anadolu Agency (AA) during an official visit to Türkiye.
Al-Zouba said the government's new military offensive aims to free Yemen from Houthi control and restore the state’s authority over its sovereign decisions, as the group escalates attacks on Saudi Arabia.
"The Houthis are trying to turn Yemen into a platform that threatens the region and the world," al-Zouba said, noting, "Their threats to maritime transport in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in recent years are a clear indication of this."
Al-Zouba noted that Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, launched "Operation Yemen Dawn" on Oct. 5, 2026.
"The aim of Operation Yemen Dawn is to liberate the country and the Yemeni people from the control of the terrorist Houthi militias. We aim for the state to regain its strength and to restore control over Yemen’s sovereign decisions," she said.
She said the government also seeks to keep the Houthis from threatening shipping in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
"The Houthis, also violating Yemen’s sovereignty, are cooperating with terrorist organizations in the Horn of Africa and other regions," al-Zouba said. "The Houthis are also trying to turn Yemen into a base for attacks on its neighbors. The terrorist attacks on Saudi Arabia are also part of this."
Al-Zouba said the Houthis do not believe in negotiations that lead to diplomacy and peace.
"The reason the war has lasted so long is that the international community, like us, believed for a long time that the problem in Yemen could be solved through peaceful means. We conducted the peace process many times and moved from one round of negotiations to another," she said.
"But the Houthis used the peace process and the rounds of negotiations to arm themselves and develop their capabilities. Thus, they turned into a real force threatening Yemen, the region and the world," al-Zouba added.
She said the international community and Yemen’s neighbors have concluded the Houthis are not and cannot be a real partner for peace. "The Houthis pose a serious threat to security and peace in Yemen and the region," she said.
"Foremost among these are disarmament, the re-establishment of state institutions and the transformation of the Houthis into a political component within Yemen’s political structure," al-Zouba said of the conditions for peace, noting that "The Houthis must not have the right or capacity to practice terrorism in Yemen and the region."
"Achieving peace requires the implementation of the agreed basic references, including U.N. Security Council Resolution 2216, the outcomes of the Comprehensive National Dialogue Conference and the Gulf Cooperation Council initiative," she added.
Al-Zouba said the Houthis have built up their weapons capacity with Iranian support over the 12 years since seizing Sanaa and strategic areas on the Red Sea coast.
"Thanks to the knowledge and experience provided by Iranian experts, the Houthis have gained a certain capacity to produce or assemble some weapon parts in Yemen," she said.
"It appears that the Houthis have begun training al-Shabab from Somalia on the use of some equipment," al-Zouba said.
"The Houthis use this power they obtained from Yemen’s resources against Yemenis, neighboring countries and the world," she added.
"Türkiye is an extremely important, strategic and central country in the region. There are brotherly relations between Türkiye and Yemen based on deep-rooted historical ties and strong relations. We appreciate the roles Türkiye has assumed in the region," al-Zouba said.
"We believe Türkiye has an important role in preserving the security and stability of the region," she added.
Al-Zouba said she briefed Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Yemen’s position and the escalation of Houthi attacks. Fidan expressed support for Yemen and its government and Türkiye’s sincere wish for security and stability in the country, she said.
Yemen has been in a civil war since the Houthis seized Sanaa and several provinces in September 2014.
A Saudi-led coalition has backed the internationally recognized government since March 2015, and the Houthis have targeted Saudi Arabia with ballistic missiles and drones amid rising clashes.
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