Reports in Yemen suggest that Yemen’s government forces have made some limited gains against the Houthis. The Houthis have dominated a swath of Yemen since 2015. They have consolidated control over the last decade and launched attacks on Saudi Arabia, Israel, and other countries. They are backed by Iran. However, Iran has fewer funds to support them, and this could cause them to suffer setbacks.
The Houthis could still threaten the key Bab al-Mandab Strait at the entrance to the Red Sea. They could do this to try to reduce pressure on Iran. Currently, the picture of escalation is not fully clear. Both the Houthis and government forces are escalating attacks.
Reports in regional media, including SANA in Syria and Al-Arabiya, say that Yemeni government forces had taken full control of Hays district in Hodeidah province and made gains in Taiz and Al-Jawf, as Houthi forces fired three ballistic missiles at Taiz city. The SANA report is based on Yemen’s Saba News Agency, which itself quoted a Yemeni military source as “saying government forces secured the remaining rural areas of Hays on Saturday evening. Hays city was already under government control.”
The report added that “government forces had begun operations in neighboring Al-Jarrahi district and advanced toward Houthi positions. The military reported Houthi casualties but gave no figures.” Meanwhile, in Taiz province, there were clashes on a frontline. The clashes have taken place in numerous areas. Jawf is close to Saudi Arabia in northern Yemen, whereas Taiz is in the mountains closer to Mocha and the Red Sea.
“Government forces said they captured several positions on the Hayfan front during clashes with Houthi forces,” SANA added. The report also said that the Houthis fired ballistic missiles targeting Taiz. “The attack came a day after a Houthi ballistic missile struck a civilian gathering in Taiz province, killing four people and injuring nine others, according to the agency,” SANA added.
Government continues combatting Houthi attacks, targeting Houthi fighters
In Al-Jawf, Yemeni armed forces spokesman Col. Majed al-Nuzaili said government forces targeted Houthi fighters. Government forces reported shooting down several Houthi drones on other fronts, including one east of Al-Hazm. “Fighting continues in Hodeidah, Taiz and Al-Jawf between government forces and the Houthis.”
Al-Arabiya noted that there were continuing clashes also. “Yemeni armed forces gained control of Jabal Koura in the Al-Kadha area, west of Taiz, after a bloody night of fighting against the militias.” Their report added that “a military source told Al-Arabiya/Al-Hadath that the forces had taken control of Jabal Al-Koura and a security point that belonged to the Houthis, while clashes were taking place on the hills of Al-Hanaya and the vicinity of Jabal Ghubari, west of Al-Kadha.”
The government forces also launched several other raids in various areas.
“The Yemeni Armed Forces Media Center reported that warplanes carried out a series of raids targeting a command and control room, a thermal sensor system, and Houthi gatherings on the top of Mount Nasa in the Maris front in Al-Dhale’ province.”
It was not clear what types of air assets the government of Yemen has. “Yemeni forces announced they had taken control of the city of Hays, southeast of Hodeidah,” the report added.
The battles come in the context of a Houthi offensive aimed at cutting off access to the coastal city of Mocha. This area has been under attack for a month. A military source in the internationally recognized government, based in the southern city of Aden, confirmed that “the armed forces were able to consolidate their positions north of Hays after advancing in the area,” Al-Arabiya added.
The Houthi advance could threaten the Bab al-Mandab strait. This would give an Iranian-backed group more ways to pressure the international community. The overall picture is escalation in Yemen. There have been clashes over the last month in which Saudi Arabia has been accused of targeting Sana’a airport because Iran was trying to reopen an air corridor to the airport. The Houthis then attacked Saudi Arabia.
“These battles came in the context of the recent renewed escalation in the region between Iran and America, and since last July Yemen has returned to the forefront of regional tension, with renewed attacks and threats by the Houthis against cargo ships and maritime traffic,” Al-Arabiya said.
The reports illustrate that there is fighting at several fronts over key areas of Yemen, near the coast and near Saudi Arabia. The Yemen government is trying to use its limited air power in strikes in the governorates of Al-Bayda and Al-Jawf, as well as in Ma’rib and Taiz.
Al-Arabiya notes that the Houthis “attempted to advance towards government-held areas near the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait. However, Yemeni forces repelled these attacks and made territorial gains, particularly west of Taiz and in al-Jawf. They captured Jabal al-Koura, while clashes continued on the hills.”
