The Yemeni army has completed its capture of a strategic mountain range in the northern province of Al-Jawf following battles with Houthi forces, a field commander said on Saturday.
Col. Rabie al-Qurashi, an army field commander in Al-Jawf, said government forces had secured the entire Huwayshian mountain range east of Al-Hazm, the provincial capital. The advance followed fighting with the Houthis. Warplanes backed the offensive and destroyed dozens of vehicles belonging to the group, he added.
The military operation is underway, according to al-Qurashi. The mountains form the first line of defence for Al-Hazm, which is under Houthi control.
Local Yemeni media reported that capturing the high ground enables government forces to cut Houthi supply routes in the province. The mountains also overlook key Houthi positions near Al-Hazm.
Government forces seized parts of the range during clashes on Friday before completing their capture on Saturday.
Al-Jawf is important because it borders Saudi Arabia and lies close to the Houthi-controlled provinces of Saada, Amran and Sanaa. It also borders the oil-producing provinces of Hadramout and Marib, which are under government control.
Control of Al-Jawf is divided. The Houthis hold Al-Hazm and other areas, while government forces control other parts of the province, and both sides continue to contest strategic positions.
Fighting has intensified in recent weeks as government-aligned forces backed by the Saudi-led coalition have carried out military operations against Houthi positions in Taiz and other provinces.
This escalation comes alongside renewed hostilities between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia, with both sides reporting attacks and military operations across Yemen and the wider region.
