Yemen’s National Army gained foothold on Friday in strategic Taiz and Nihm district positions.
Fierce battles on both fronts killed at least 40 Houthi gunmen, while Saudi-led Arab Coalition air support destroyed two ballistic missiles fired by coup militia towards Marib.
Coalition air forces backing the constitutional government have contributed significantly to the latter’s advances nationwide against the Iran-backed insurgency.
Such developments coincided with the strikes of the Coalition aircraft on the positions of the Houthi militias in more than one front, and with artillery shelling of the Yemeni army against Houthi strongholds in Al Bayda fortifications.
According to official military sources over 20 Houthis were killed and wounded in violent clashes with the Yemeni army in eastern Taiz fronts.
“Government forces launched a violent attack on militia outposts in the area of Adana and the hills of Ja'sah, east of Taiz, killing and wounding 20 militiamen,” government news agency Saba said in a statement, citing military sources.
The agency added that militia top leader, known as ‘Abu Mohammed,’ was killed two days ago alongside others in clashes near The Republican Palace and east of the province.
Official Yemeni army website (September Net) reported that government forces “launched a striking attack on Houthi positions of Sha'abi and Al Samdid villages, nestled east of Lowazm hill, making significant advances towards a number of outposts in eastern Taiz.”
The website pointed out that Houthi militias “bombarded a number of residential neighborhoods east of the city, wounding 5 civilians, among which were 3 children.”
In a subsequent statement, Maj. Gen. Sadeq Sarhan confirmed that on Friday night, the army managed to establish full control over the strategic Lowazm hill east of Taiz.
Sarhan revealed that army forces secured the strategic location, and still delivered a major blow to Houthi ranks, registering the deaths of more than 30 combatants.
Houthi ranks have largely collapsed on themselves and many were reported to have abandoned their posts in the battlefield.
