UPDATE - Yemeni army captures strategic mountain range from Houthis in Al-Jawf
- Huwayshian mountains form 1st line of defense for Houthi-held provincial capital Al-Hazm, field commander tells Anadolu
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- Huwayshian mountains form 1st line of defense for Houthi-held provincial capital Al-Hazm, field commander tells Anadolu
UPDATES WITH MORE DETAILS; EDITS THROUGHOUT
By Mohammed Sami, Omer Asur Cuhadar, and Rania Abushamala
ADEN, Yemen / ISTANBUL (AA) - 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 Saturday.
Col. Rabie al-Qurashi, an army field commander in Al-Jawf, told Anadolu that government forces had secured the entire Huwayshian mountain range east of Al-Hazm, the provincial capital.
He said the advance followed fighting with the Houthis and was backed by warplanes that destroyed dozens of vehicles belonging to the group. The military operation remains underway, he added.
The mountains form the first line of defense for Al-Hazm, which remains under Houthi control, al-Qurashi said.
According to local Yemeni media, 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 Friday before completing their capture Saturday, according to an Anadolu correspondent.
Al-Jawf is strategically important as 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 remains divided, with the Houthis holding Al-Hazm and other areas, while government forces control other parts of the province. Both sides continue to contest strategic positions.
- Yemeni strikes
Separately, the Yemeni army said it had carried out 1,119 strikes against the Houthis in recent hours, claiming to have “neutralized” 427 members of the group and destroyed or damaged 142 military vehicles, pieces of equipment and means of transport.
In a statement, the army said the strikes supported army units in advancing and capturing several strategic positions and heights on fronts in Al-Jawf province.
The army also reported continued fighting in the southwestern Taiz province, where its forces, backed by the Popular Resistance, targeted Houthi movements and reinforcements with air and artillery support.
The statement did not specify the exact period covered by the reported strikes.
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.
The escalation comes amid renewed hostilities between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia, with both sides reporting attacks and military operations across Yemen and the wider region.
Rania R.a. Abushamala