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 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 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.
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.
