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Yemeni government forces announced they have advanced further into the al-Dahida mountain range in eastern al-Jawf province. This development comes one day after troops claimed control of the heights during their ongoing offensive against the Houthis.
Military Operations and Territorial Gains
The armed forces stated on Wednesday that troops supported by fighter jets and drones stormed Houthi fortifications and barracks in the region, capturing various weapons and military equipment. Air and drone strikes also targeted Houthi gatherings and supply depots across multiple locations, resulting in heavy losses for the Iran-backed group.
These territorial advances form part of Operation Dawn of Yemen, which has entered its second month. Government forces spent weeks assaulting Houthi positions before successfully recapturing several strategic overlooks situated east of al-Hazm, the provincial capital.
Rashad al-Alimi, head of the internationally recognised government’s Presidential Leadership Council, stated that the military operation will persist until state institutions and government authority are restored across the entire country.
Escalating Fighting on Multiple Fronts
Combat operations have intensified across various regions of Yemen. A Houthi ballistic missile struck a military training camp in the southern province of al-Dhalea, resulting in eight deaths and more than 15 injuries, according to a military source speaking to Al Jazeera.
Al Jazeera’s correspondent, referencing field sources, reported that the missile impacted a gathering of recruits at the al-Jumaima camp in northern al-Dhalea. While no official casualty toll has been published, certain Yemeni media outlets cited higher figures.
Government forces stated they executed air strikes against Houthi positions located in western Taiz province. Additionally, troops reported recapturing positions in the al-Maqatira district of northern Lahij, an area that serves as a vital defensive line connecting Taiz to the interim capital of Aden.
Meanwhile, media affiliated with the Houthis reported four air strikes targeting a Central Security Forces camp in the city of al-Bayda, alongside a strike hitting a health centre in Taiz’s al-Silw district. The Houthis asserted that strikes conducted by Saudi Arabia, which supports the Aden government, caused civilian casualties over a two-day period.
Foreign Involvement and Regional Impact
Yemeni Interior Minister Ibrahim Ali Haidan stated that 21 foreign experts are directing Houthi military operations, comprising 14 individuals from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and seven from Lebanon’s Hezbollah. Hezbollah subsequently dismissed the claim as entirely baseless.
In neighboring Saudi Arabia, civil defence authorities activated early-warning sirens twice in the southern Najran region on Wednesday morning, following a comparable alert issued overnight in the Riyadh region.
The Saudi-led coalition announced on Tuesday that it intercepted and destroyed a drone over Mecca. However, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree denied that the group launched any attacks targeting Saudi territory.
The United States embassy in Riyadh issued a warning indicating that Houthi attacks against the kingdom could escalate rapidly. Consequently, US government personnel are required to obtain special authorization before utilizing any airport within Saudi Arabia.
