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Coalition: Houthis Lost Control of more than 444 Sites in 9 Days

Spokesman Colonel Turki al-Maliki during press conference (SPA)
Spokesman Colonel Turki al-Maliki during press conference (SPA)
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Coalition: Houthis Lost Control of more than 444 Sites in 9 Days

Spokesman Colonel Turki al-Maliki during press conference (SPA)
Spokesman Colonel Turki al-Maliki during press conference (SPA)

Arab Coalition forces in support of legitimacy in Yemen announced that Iran-backed Houthi militias lost control of more than 444 sites, arms and ammunition between December 25, 2017 and January 3.

Furthermore, the coalition announced that 86 ballistic missiles have been fired by Houthis at Saudi Arabia.

The official spokesman for the coalition forces Colonel Turki al-Maliki said that the permits granted to aid agencies and ships since the beginning of the military operations amounted to 17,293 permits, including 2,749 through sea ports and 7,590 for humanitarian and relief assistance coming to Yemen through the airports.

At a press conference at King Salman Air Base in Riyadh, Maliki stated that 37 permits had been granted for humanitarian aid and evacuation operations between December 26, 2017 and January 3, 2018, adding that 3,045 passengers left the Yemeni territories.

Maliki reiterated his rejection of statements made by the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Yemen, Jamie McGoldric, urging him to validate the facts concerning the Houthi recruitment of children.

The spokesman presented many video clips that showed a number of military air operations by the coalition forces against sites taken by Houthis to carry out attacks on the Yemeni army and the popular resistance, inside Yemen and on the Yemeni-Saudi border.

He also showed through the videos that the coalition continues to accurately target the Houthis and their arsenal of weapons while avoiding civilians.

Maliki said the Iranian regime seeks to replicate a new model of “Hezbollah” militias in Yemen. He pointed out that the Houthi decision to kill former President Ali Abdullah Saleh came from Iran.

Al-Shabwa province is now liberated, and the coalition is fighting to oust the Houthis from al-Jouf, Maliki indicated.

The spokesman didn't give any information about the whereabouts of Saleh’s nephew, who has reportedly been killed or has reached a safe location following his injury.

Maliki concluded by confirming that the coalition forces still have the superiority on the battlefield inside Yemen and on its border with Saudi Arabia.

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Hamas Sources: Gaza Ceasefire Talks Ongoing Despite Israeli Obstacles

Palestinians in Gaza City wait to receive food aid on Monday (AFP)
Palestinians in Gaza City wait to receive food aid on Monday (AFP)
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Hamas Sources: Gaza Ceasefire Talks Ongoing Despite Israeli Obstacles

Palestinians in Gaza City wait to receive food aid on Monday (AFP)
Palestinians in Gaza City wait to receive food aid on Monday (AFP)

Despite accusations from Hamas that Israel is deliberately placing hurdles in the way of indirect negotiations in Doha aimed at securing a two-month ceasefire, sources within the movement confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that there are ongoing consultations.

Hamas sources said Israel continues to obstruct progress in the Qatar-hosted negotiations, which have been underway for over a week with only limited breakthroughs.

“Each time there is partial progress on some provisions, the Israeli delegation delays discussions on other points and refuses to engage until it receives fresh instructions from officials in Tel Aviv,” the sources explained.

Palestinian negotiators believe this approach is designed to buy time and apply pressure on the Palestinian factions’ team, while ultimately blaming them for any failure of the talks, which are dragging on due to Israel’s contradictory positions.

Humanitarian Aid a Major Sticking Point

The most significant obstacle, according to Hamas, remains Israel’s refusal to commit to a comprehensive withdrawal plan, as well as its insistence on maintaining the current aid delivery mechanism, which Hamas describes as a “death trap” for civilians in Gaza.

The sources said Israel has agreed in principle to allow aid into areas it withdraws from through international organizations. However, the Palestinian delegation is demanding that assistance be delivered under the humanitarian protocol negotiated in January.

This protocol is broader than Israel’s proposals and includes not only food and medical supplies, but also construction materials, equipment to repair hospitals and schools, and goods for the private sector to sell in local markets.

Israel has informed mediators that it reached an understanding with the European Union to allow 500 trucks per day into Gaza, which the Palestinian negotiators welcomed. Still, they insisted on clear guarantees that the deliveries would follow the January protocol without manipulation.

Maps and Withdrawal Timelines

Maps of military positions remain another major sticking point. The Hamas delegation is demanding that any Israeli withdrawal be based on the maps set out in the previous ceasefire agreement and implemented gradually according to a clear timetable.

That January agreement had allowed Israeli forces to remain temporarily in buffer zones around Gaza, ranging from 500 to 1,000 meters wide. The Palestinian side is adamant that troops must not remain inside Gaza itself and that the withdrawal must lead to a complete pullout in a second phase of the agreement.

According to the sources, the negotiators want precise language in each clause to prevent Israel from delaying or avoiding implementation, as has occurred in past agreements.

Waiting for US Pressure

Negotiations have not broken down, and the Hamas delegation believes American pressure will be critical to moving Israel off its current positions.

On Sunday evening, US President Donald Trump expressed hope that the ceasefire discussions would yield concrete results within days.

Later that night, a senior Hamas delegation met with Islamic Jihad leaders to coordinate positions and underscore that any deal must fulfill Palestinian aspirations, above all, ending the war, securing a full Israeli withdrawal, reopening crossings, and launching reconstruction.

Flexibility on the Morag Corridor

Meanwhile, Israel’s Security Cabinet convened Sunday evening to review the possibility of a prisoner swap. According to Channel 12, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told ministers he was interested in reaching an agreement on the hostages, even as Hamas continues to reject Israel’s terms. He warned that fighting could resume after any temporary ceasefire if Hamas does not accept Israel’s conditions for ending the war.

Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Netanyahu, once firmly opposed to any pullback from the Morag Corridor. a strategic strip that bisects Rafah and separates it from Khan Younis - is now willing to show some flexibility.

Israeli control of the 12-kilometer corridor would allow it to further fragment Gaza and expand its security buffer zones.