Yemen’s internationally recognized government forces, backed by a Saudi, say they have made significant advances in the fighting in Taiz province in southwestern Yemen, as government troops continue an offensive against Houthi forces.
The government forces said they had captured the strategic port city of Mokha and several military positions near the Bab al-Mandab Strait that had reportedly been taken by the Houthis the previous month.
The developments could have wider strategic implications because the area lies along one of the world’s most important maritime routes linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
The reported advances came after Yemen’s internationally recognized government launched a new military operation dubbed “Yemen Sunrise.” The campaign is aimed at pushing Houthi forces away from strategic positions in western and southwestern Yemen.
More than 100 aircraft belonging to the Saudi-led coalition reportedly took part in the operation, carrying out heavy airstrikes against Houthi-held positions.
Yemen’s government forces also claimed that hundreds of Houthi fighters had been killed during the latest offensive.
The fighting around Taiz and the western coastline is particularly significant because of the proximity to the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a vital maritime chokepoint through which a substantial volume of global trade and energy shipments passes.
The latest developments could therefore have consequences beyond Yemen’s long-running civil war, particularly if control of territory around Mokha and the approaches to Bab al-Mandab changes significantly.
However, battlefield claims by the opposing sides are difficult to independently verify amid the ongoing conflict.