Yemen's government declares a major operation against the Houthis, and other Mideast news

Yemen's internationally recognized government has announced a major military operation against the Iran -backed Houthi rebels as they advance in the outskirts of a key city.Meanwhile, the Iranian parliament speaker who was the lead negotiator in direct talks with the U.S. earlier this year says Washington recently put forward proposals via a mediator, without details. And Israeli strikes have killed at least two people in Gaza.Here is the latest news from the Middle East on Sunday. Full coverage is available here.Rashad al-Alimi, head of the ruling Presidential Leadership Council, made the declaration as the Iran-backed rebels advanced in the outskirts of a key southwestern city, Taiz.Speaking from Saudi Arabia, he said the operation aims at “recovering the remaining territories” controlled by the Houthis, who made their largest land grab in recent years last month when they seized Yemen’s Red Sea coast and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.Al-Alimi called for the international community to provide support to his Saudi-backed government.The Houthis have launched a major offensive in recent days against government forces and their allies on the outskirts of Taiz, disrupting a major road link...