The Yemeni military of the legitimate government announced its success in breaching the Iran-backed Houthi militias. It revealed that several of its leaderships “are ready to jump ship” and abandon the militias.
Yemen Armed Forces Spokesman Brig. Gen. Abdo Majali told Asharq Al-Awsat the breach has created “disarray within the Houthi leadership and mistrust among its ranks.”
He confirmed that several Houthi leaders have indeed defected and joined the legitimate army.
They joined army ranks in Marib, national forces on the west coast and the Giants Brigades in the South. Among them was Salah al-Salahi, leader of the Houthis’ so-called “Tenth Sammad Brigade”.
Majali revealed that the defectors had expressed their joy in returning to legitimate ranks and they were in turn warmly welcomed.
They stressed that they have chosen the right path, that of the republic, state and legitimacy, he added.
The Houthis, explained Majali, are “in a state of collapse due to the breaches, divisions and defections.”
The legitimate authorities have succeeded in infiltrating the Houthis’ security agencies, leaving the militias vulnerable and several of their leaders ready to “jump ship. The Houthis are a sinking ship,” he went on to say.
In previous remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Yemen’s Interior Minister Ibrahim Haidan said the “terrorist Houthis have never been weaker.” The Houthis themselves have acknowledged the success of government and military operations against them.
The operations were a “powerful and critical” blow that have led to divisions within the Houthis, he added.
Majali stressed that “returning to the state fold is a step forward in liberating the nation from the Houthi filth.”
He listed Houth crimes, violations, kidnappings, forced disappearances, looting of public funds, confiscation of employee salaries and corruption, saying they have led to a state of outrage that has driven several people to defect from the militias.
The army believes that the recent defections have dealt a blow to Houthi morale and bolstered the people’s faith in the legitimate authorities.
Moreover, the defectors have given the legitimate authorities a wealth of intelligence and security information, such as information on the Houthi leadership structure, the readiness of their forces, combat tactics and knowledge about weak points and loopholes that can be exploited.
The new information will help improve planning and combat operations, making them more decisive and deadly, Majali told Asharq Al-Awsat. It will help in breaking up Houthi alliances with tribes and clans and create mistrust among the militia ranks.
The legitimate armed forces, meanwhile, enjoy high morale and are in constant combat readiness, he declared. They are capable of achieving a decisive military victory and ridding the people of the terrorist Houthis
