Federal troops and allied militias have advanced to within 20 km of Mekelle, prompting senior TPLF officials and rebel combatants to evacuate the Tigray regional capital. The TPLF describes these movements as tactical pullbacks, while government forces claim to have reversed a rebel offensive that began in late September. This development follows a series of drone strikes by the opposition against military headquarters in Addis Ababa, the first known attacks of their kind on the Ethiopian capital.

The escalation marks the collapse of the 2022 Pretoria peace deal, which had ended a conflict that killed an estimated 600,000 people. The war has expanded into a diplomatic crisis, with Ethiopia severing ties with Eritrea and expelling an Egyptian diplomat after accusing both nations of supporting the Alliance for Survival coalition. The African Union has called for maximum restraint as Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Egypt face surging regional tensions.