Houthis Make Gains in Taiz as Yemeni Government Launches Military Campaign

The Houthi movement has successfully captured more territory in Yemen's southwestern province of Taiz, marking a strategic shift as the internationally recognized Yemeni government responds with a major military campaign to reclaim the area. Recent developments indicate the Houthis have entered At Turbah, a significant government-held center, without facing any resistance after government forces withdrew earlier in the day.

A local security official confirmed the Houthis' advance into At Turbah and indicated that Yemeni troops and their allied fighters retreated to more defensible mountainous positions outside the city. Some forces retreated even further into neighboring Lahj province due to what was described as 'battlefield setbacks and losses.' As a result, Houthi fighters established control over key locations within At Turbah, deploying across major streets and around public facilities.

The capture of At Turbah is notable as it is the first time the Houthis have taken control of the city since Yemen's conflict escalated in late 2014. Residents reported that ahead of the Houthis' arrival, many shop owners closed their businesses, fearing the group’s presence. The Houthis reportedly used mosque loudspeakers to call for calm and urged locals not to resist their entry into the city, demonstrating a strategy of psychological influence as well as military might.

Earlier in the day, the Yemeni military announced further Houthi advances in the Ash Shamayatayn and Al-Ma’fa districts, where they managed to overtake several key positions. This maneuver forced government troops to withdraw as the Houthis continued to consolidate their gains in the southwestern region.

Responding to these developments, Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council and commander-in-chief of the armed forces, declared the commencement of a large-scale military operation aimed at retaking Houthi-held territories. Speaking from Riyadh, al-Alimi emphasized the transition from preparation to action, illustrating a renewed commitment to regain control in the face of advancing Houthi forces.

These military escalations come on the heels of a series of territorial gains by the Houthis since early September. The group has progressively expanded its reach, seizing the strategic Red Sea port city of Mocha on September 10, followed by the capture of Mayyun Island shortly thereafter. These actions indicate a significant shift in the balance of power in a conflict that has seen relatively static front lines in recent years.

Yemen's civil war began in late 2014 when Houthi forces took over the capital, Sanaa, which led to a Saudi-led coalition intervening in March 2015 to support the internationally recognized government. Although a United Nations-brokered ceasefire in 2022 reduced major hostilities, the recent territorial advancements by the Houthis coupled with the government's militaristic response have reignited one of the sharpest escalations in hostilities in recent years, signaling a worrying trend for the stability of the country.

Source

Original IANS report

Edited with AI assistance.

Featured image: AI-generated representative image.