Yemen’s rebel leader Abdel-Malik al-Houthi today escalated his offensive against the remnants of the government of resigned and exiled President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, having seized the city of Taiz over the weekend and moving on the remaining Hadi stronghold of Aden.

Houthi said the move was focused at united the country against al-Qaeda and ISIS, who retain considerable power over the country’s southwestern region, saying it was necessary to move against the “US puppet” Hadi.

Hadi, who was indeed “elected” in a heavily US-influenced single-candidate election, resigned earlier this year when talks on a power-sharing deal with the Houthis broke down. He later unresigned, fled to Aden, and has talked of trying to be restored to power.

The Houthis accuse the US of trying to “import the Libyan model” of disarray to Yemen, and of Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar all being in favor of the effort.