Yemen's Army Reports Recapture of Key Territory Amid Ongoing Clashes with Houthis

Two days of fighting between government forces and Houthi fighters has resulted in numerous casualties on both sides, according to sources. Yemen’s army announced the recapture of strategically important territory as heavy clashes with Houthi rebels persist in the southwest region of the country. Yemeni government forces regained control of the al-Khazan and al-Makahna hills in the Jabal Habashi district, west of Taiz city, as stated in a report on Friday. The clashes have continued for a second day in western Taiz and southern Hodeidah, two governorates along the Red Sea coast, following a broad offensive launched by the rebel group along the coastal front lines. A Houthi source informed Al Jazeera that over 100 fighters have been killed from both sides since the offensive began on Thursday. A Yemeni military official reported that 24 government troops were killed near the west coast, while another military official noted the deaths of 15 others in Taiz. Medical sources in Houthi-controlled areas indicated that at least 42 fighters had been killed. Additionally, several civilians were reported killed and others injured in a ballistic missile attack that struck a restaurant in the coastal city of al-Makha (Mocha), according to state-run Saba TV. An AFP casualty toll indicated that over 120 people have died in Yemen since the Houthis initiated their advance. The Houthis aim to control the hills overlooking Bab al-Mandeb and al-Makha before launching an attack on the coast, as stated by a Yemeni official in Aden, the base of the internationally recognized government. The Houthis have captured territories since Thursday, primarily in western Taiz, including a strategic military base, according to a government military official. Government military sources reported that reinforcements have arrived to counter the Houthi advances in western Taiz, as reported by Saba. Al Jazeera’s Yousef Mawry, reporting from the Yemeni capital Sanaa, noted that the goal of the Houthi offensive appears to be territorial gains towards the city and Red Sea port of al-Makha. The Houthis previously controlled the port city of al-Makha, which overlooks the Bab al-Mandeb Strait connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, before being expelled in 2017 by government forces and a Saudi-led coalition. The rebel group declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia in July. Mawry added that the Houthis aim to use Bab al-Mandeb for military strategic purposes, which experts believe could be significant in future conflicts against Saudi Arabia or Israel.