250 Houthis Killed in Marib, Taiz Battles as Yemen Army Makes Advances

Yemeni forces west of Taiz on Tuesday. (AFP)
Yemeni forces west of Taiz on Tuesday. (AFP)
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250 Houthis Killed in Marib, Taiz Battles as Yemen Army Makes Advances

Yemeni forces west of Taiz on Tuesday. (AFP)
Yemeni forces west of Taiz on Tuesday. (AFP)

The Yemeni army continued to make advances in the battlefronts in the Marib, Taiz and Hajjah provinces dealing the Iran-backed Houthi militias heavy losses.

Military media said at least 250 Houthis were killed in the fiercest battles yet to take place in the three provinces.

Defense Minister Mohammed al-Maqdashi stressed on Tuesday that the legitimate authorities were determined to restore the state’s authority and end the Houthi coup.

The people, armed forces and legitimate leadership are determined to defeat the militias and liberate the Yemenis from the crimes, violations and suffering imposed by the terrorist Houthis, he added as he toured the al-Kasara frontlines west of Marib.

He said that the Houthis had amassed all of their forces, tanks and weapons, some of which they had seized and others which were provided by Tehran, towards their final stand on the border between Marib and al-Jawf.

Their forces, however, have fallen before the perseverance of the army, he declared.

On the ground, the military managed to turn around Houthis lines in al-Kasara and cut their supply routes amid heavy fighting and coalition air strikes that destroyed the militias’ reinforcements.

A field source said at least 80 Houthis were killed and dozens wounded in the fighting. The coalition destroyed six Houthi vehicles that were bringing in reinforcements, killing everyone on board.

In Hajjah, military media said 28 militants were killed during battles with the army on the Abs district front. Field sources estimated that some 100 Houthis have been killed in two days of fighting there.

Meanwhile, military sources said the army has made significant advances on the Jabal al-Habshi front west of Taiz amid a complete collapse in Houthi ranks. The forces launched a widescale attack on the al-Ainain front, liberating several areas.

Dozens of Houthis were killed and injured in the fighting.

The army underlined the importance of regions that were liberated north of Jabal al-Habshi, saying that they overlook the main route (Hajda-al-Ramada) that connects Taiz city to the Hodeidah province.

Government forces in Taiz are seeking to capture the strategic town of al-Burj and complete the liberation of northwestern regions in the province.

In retaliation to their losses on various fronts, the Houthis fired a ballistic missile at residential neighborhoods in northwestern parts of Marib city.

Medical sources in Taiz said that Houthi shelling on villages in Maqbana left a child dead and another wounded.

Yemeni rights groups have said that Houthi ballistic missiles and armed drone attacks on residential and civilian areas in Marib have killed 918 civilians, including women and children.



Critical Hours Ahead in Lebanon’s Presidential Election

In this picture taken on December 16, 2024, Lebanese army chief Joseph Aoun walks towards the Grand Serail in Beirut. (Photo by ANWAR AMRO / AFP)
In this picture taken on December 16, 2024, Lebanese army chief Joseph Aoun walks towards the Grand Serail in Beirut. (Photo by ANWAR AMRO / AFP)
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Critical Hours Ahead in Lebanon’s Presidential Election

In this picture taken on December 16, 2024, Lebanese army chief Joseph Aoun walks towards the Grand Serail in Beirut. (Photo by ANWAR AMRO / AFP)
In this picture taken on December 16, 2024, Lebanese army chief Joseph Aoun walks towards the Grand Serail in Beirut. (Photo by ANWAR AMRO / AFP)

Lebanese Army Commander Joseph Aoun is moving closer to becoming president ahead of a key parliamentary session to elect a new head of state.

Growing support from lawmakers and the withdrawal of Hezbollah-backed candidate Suleiman Franjieh have boosted Aoun’s chances, raising hopes of ending a 26-month presidential deadlock.

Local and international efforts have intensified to secure Aoun’s election. With at least 74 votes in his favor, he is the frontrunner.

However, the total falls short of what’s needed to amend the constitution, which bars senior officials from being elected unless they’ve been out of office for two years.

Electing Aoun as president depends on securing 86 votes to amend the constitution.

This requires support from lawmakers in the Amal Movement, Hezbollah, and their allies (31 votes) or the Free Patriotic Movement, led by Jebran Bassil (13 votes).

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati expressed optimism ahead of the election session, saying: “For the first time since the presidential vacancy, I feel hopeful. God willing, we will have a new president.”

In a post on the X platform on Wednesday, Franjieh, who is the leader of Marada, said: "Now that the conditions are ripe for the election of a president tomorrow, I am withdrawing my candidacy, which has never been an obstacle in the electoral process."

He added that Aoun "enjoys the qualities that would preserve the standing of the country’s top post."

He hoped "the nation would overcome this stage with unity, diligence and responsibility."

Kataeb MP Elias Hankash said Lebanon needs a president who can revive the country, noting that “no foreign powers are dictating our choices, but the qualifications fit one, two, or three candidates, with Army Commander Joseph Aoun as the frontrunner.”

He added that Aoun enjoys broad international support and consensus but stressed that the constitution must not be used as an excuse to delay the election.

Similarly, MP Fouad Makhzoumi, speaking from Dar al-Fatwa, called for a consensual president who can implement Security Council Resolution 1701, boost the economy, and restore the judiciary.

He described Aoun as the best candidate to achieve these goals and pledged to support him in all voting rounds. Makhzoumi also urged Speaker Nabih Berri to cooperate to protect Lebanon and ensure stability.