Ankara: Supporting the efforts of Yemen's armed forces to restore state institutions is 'not only an investment in Yemen's security, but also in the security of trade, energy and global interests,' the head of the Presidential Leadership Council said Thursday.

According to Anadolu Agency,Rashad al-Alimi voiced confidence in the armed forces and their ability to regain the initiative and extend control across the country at a meeting with Britain's Ambassador to Yemen Abda Sharif, according to state-run Saba news agency.

'International support for the Yemeni government and its armed forces is the most sustainable path to ending the Houthi threat backed by the Iranian regime,' he said.

'The armed forces and military formations have demonstrated a high level of effectiveness in confronting Houthi escalation across multiple fronts, moving from containing attacks to regaining the initiative and strengthening deterrence,' said al-Alimi. 'Developments along the western coast posed a difficult test, but the armed forces maintained their cohesion and turned the situation into an opportunity to regain the initiative and unify their ranks.'

He warned against 'continuing to deal with the Houthis through a policy of containment.'

'Experience has shown that de-escalation that does not prevent rearmament effectively turns into new rounds of violence and sabotage,' he said.

Strong Yemeni state that 'controls its territory, coastline, and territorial waters' needed

Al-Alimi stressed that sustainable security in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait depends on 'a strong Yemeni state that controls its territory, coastline and territorial waters.'

He urged the international community to 'move from condemning Iranian support for the Houthis to more effective measures to enforce the arms embargo and pursue smuggling, financing and military technology transfer networks.'

Al-Alimi praised the UK's support for the government, as well as Saudi Arabia's continued support for the government and Yemeni people, including its economic, humanitarian and development assistance.

Sharif reaffirmed the UK's continued support for the Yemeni people, efforts to alleviate humanitarian suffering and measures to protect Red Sea security and freedom of international navigation, according to Saba.

Fighting in Yemen, which escalated again in July, has led to notable changes in territorial control.

The Houthis expanded their control along the western coast earlier this month, taking the city of Mokha and other areas near Bab el-Mandeb, including Mayyun Island and Dhubab.

Their capture of strategic positions along the Red Sea coast and around Bab el-Mandeb has significantly altered the course of fighting and the map of territorial control.