Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council chair, Rashad al-Alimi, has called for a general public mobilization to join the armed forces and offered an immediate amnesty to fighters defecting from the Houthi group. The appeal comes as government forces have recently lost ground on the western Red Sea coast to the advancing rebels.

Al-Alimi's address, delivered in a recorded speech on Friday, marked his first public statement since the setbacks along the coast. The call for enlistment aims to bolster the government's efforts to counter Houthi advances, particularly towards the strategically vital Bab al-Mandeb strait.

The Yemeni leader urged "the sons of our great people to engage in a general mobilisation and national mobilisation to rally around their armed and security forces, join their ranks through official channels, and contribute each from their respective position in whatever way they can." He reiterated the internationally recognized government's objective to restore state institutions and sovereignty over the entire country, including the capital, Sana'a, which has been under Houthi control since 2014.

The amnesty offer is effective immediately, according to al-Alimi, and applies to Houthi fighters who leave the group, provided the pardon is processed through constitutional and legal procedures. This move signals an attempt to weaken Houthi ranks and encourage defections amid the ongoing conflict.

Al-Alimi's speech coincided with the 64th anniversary of the military coup that overthrew the monarchy in northern Yemen and triggered the civil war in 1962. The context of the anniversary highlights the long-standing instability and conflict that have plagued the nation.

Earlier on Friday, the military chiefs of staff from Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Pakistan convened for their first meeting under the trilateral defense agreement, known as the Mecca Pact. This meeting occurred amidst continued Houthi attacks targeting Saudi facilities.

In a related development on Saturday, the Saudi-led coalition announced that its air defense systems intercepted one ballistic missile launched by the Houthis towards Khamis Mushait, Saudi Arabia, and two drones aimed at Riyadh.

The conflict in Yemen has had devastating humanitarian consequences, with reports indicating that fighting has displaced tens of thousands of children and exacerbated malnutrition, according to UNICEF.