Southern Giants Brigades Spearhead Major Anti-Houthi Offensive in Yemen

A major military campaign against the Houthis was launched near the strategically important Bab al-Mandeb strait, involving groups linked to the former Southern Transitional Council (STC), including the powerful Southern Giants Brigades, alongside troops of the internationally recognised government of Yemen. This offensive formed part of a nationwide effort to drive the Houthis—an armed group also known as Ansar Allah or Supporters of God—out of territories under their control, which includes the vital coastline region seized by the Iran-linked group in September.

By Monday afternoon, pro-government forces led by the Giants Brigade reported cutting off the main road connecting the Red Sea port city of Mocha with the Bab al-Mandeb waterway, delivering one of their most significant military gains in years. This development followed an announcement by Rashid al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), regarding a major offensive against the Iran-backed group, highlighting the success of anti-Houthi factions with contrasting political goals working together.

Among the key formations leading this alliance are the Giants Brigades, which trace their roots to the southern separatist movement. Commanded by Abd al-Rahman Abu Zaraa al-Muharrami—a Salafi educated at the Dammaj religious school in Saada—the group was formed by Salafi fighters during the 2015 battle for Aden and has since evolved into one of Yemen's most formidable military units. Receiving backing, training, and funding from the United Arab Emirates, the brigades rose to prominence in 2017 by capturing large portions of Yemen’s western coast before advances were halted by the 2018 Stockholm Agreement. They achieved further victories in Shabwa and Marib in January 2022.

Al-Muharrami, who joined Yemen’s eight-member PLC in April 2022, has largely steered his forces clear of infighting between anti-Houthi factions. Following the collapse of STC forces in January, he traveled to Riyadh to voice support for Saudi-led unification initiatives. While some commentators, such as Aden Al-Ghad newspaper editor Fathi bin Lazraq, argue that the Giants Brigades are willing to fight the Houthis anywhere in Yemen as part of legitimate government forces, others maintain that the group retains strong southern separatist aspirations, noting that fighters in the current offensive have displayed former South Yemen flags.

STC President Aidarous al-Zubaidi addressed the operation by offering condolences for fallen fighters and asserting that the south will not allow its victories to be stolen. Meanwhile, STC spokesperson Anwar al-Tamimi emphasized that the participation of southern forces aimed to secure the Bab al-Mandeb and surrounding areas in alignment with southern military doctrine, while noting that the Giants Brigades remain deeply tied to the southern national project.