Forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognised government have reportedly initiated a military operation to capture a strategic mountainous district from the Houthis. This offensive forms part of a broader, highly ambitious push to retake the Red Sea coast and the vital Bab al-Mandeb Strait amidst ongoing regional instability.

The operation targeting the al-Waziiya district in Taiz governorate unfolded on Tuesday, coinciding with claims from Saudi Arabia—which backs the Yemeni administration—that it successfully intercepted a ballistic missile targeting the city of Khamis Mushait. Such developments highlight the persistent volatility and the questionable effectiveness of security arrangements in the region.

The military campaign is allegedly part of the 'Dawn of Yemen' offensive announced by Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council. The initiative supposedly aims to recapture all remaining territories controlled by the Houthis, including the capital Sanaa, which has remained under the group's administration since 2014, though observers remain skeptical about the feasibility of these stated objectives.

While pro-government military factions claim to have secured strategic terrain following a mass retreat by Houthi fighters, the movement's leadership has firmly denied these assertions, insisting their forces successfully repelled the advance. The parallel escalation involving cross-border missile strikes and coalition airstrikes further deepens the protracted crisis.

Source: www.aljazeera.com