The Iran-backed Houthi attack on western Yemen appears to be aimed at not only achieving gains on the ground, but pressuring the government forces to stretch out their troops on various fronts from Taiz to southern Hodeidah, while keeping marine passageways on the west coast under threat.
The Houthis carried out attacks on government forces in al-Barh, al-Kadha, Maqbanah, al-Ahtoub and Ghabari mountain in one of the fiercest assaults in years.
The attacks allow the Houthis to apply pressure on Taiz city on the west and cut supply routes between it and al-Mokha port.
Government forces on Friday recaptured a strategic position in western Taiz after fierce fighting with the Houthis.
Official military sources said clashes continued on the Maqbanah and al-Kadha fronts as government forces repelled Houthi advances. Government reinforcements have arrived in the area as the Houthis continued to dig in their positions in western Taiz.
Also on Friday, the Houthi launched a ballistic missile at a restaurant in western Taiz, causing fatalities and injuries among civilians. The restaurant and nearby property were heavily damaged.
AFP reported on Friday that over 120 people have been killed in the fighting since Thursday. No official or Houthi death tolls have been released.
The Houthis are focusing their attacks on western Taiz because it connects the city to the coast. Capturing al-Kadha and Maqbanah brings the militants closer to vital supply routes between Taiz and al-Mokha.
Moreover, capturing the areas brings them closer to the west coast and Red Sea waterways. The Houthis have no direct control over the regions overlooking the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, but they do hold Hodeidah city north of al-Mokha.
They had previously launched attacks against vessels transiting the Red Sea.
The legitimate Yemeni government had warned in August of Houthi plans to seize the Bab al-Mandeb coast, which it tied to the regional escalation and the war on Iran.
On the political level, Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council Dr. Rashad al-Alimi held talks with several military commanders, including PLC member Tariq Saleh, to review the latest developments in Taiz and Hodeidah.
He stressed that the armed forces are capable of handling any escalation and thwarting the Houthi plots, said official sources.
He hailed the level of readiness and morale of the armed forces, adding that the Houthi attacks will not alter the equation on the ground and they will not be allowed to make any advances.
The attacks go beyond defending ground positions, but are tied to restoring state institutions and protecting civilians, waterways and vital facilities, he stressed.
The government will firmly respond to the escalation, while ensuring that the fighting does not spread so as to protect civilian lives, al-Alimi said.
