In Yemen, forces of the internationally recognized government said they had taken control of the Dhubab district and important positions near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in territory they said had been held by the Houthis. According to Al Jazeera, this occurred the day after the government announced a large-scale military operation against the Ansar Allah group, known as the Houthis.
The government-controlled Nation Shield Forces and Giants Brigades carried out a large-scale operation with air support, Yemen's Saudi-backed military command said. According to the state-run Saba agency, the units advanced, occupied important positions and cut supply routes and roads leading to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
An unnamed military source told Saba about dead and wounded among Houthi fighters, as well as the destruction or damage of their equipment. The agency also said government forces continue to search and secure the captured territories and block Houthi supply routes.
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Earlier, Yemeni military spokesperson Brigadier General Majid Abdullah al-Nuzaili reported 1,122 attacks on Houthi positions, including artillery positions, missile launchers and command centers. According to him, the attacks involving aircraft, drones, missiles, artillery and snipers took place in the provinces of Saada, Al Jawf and Taiz, as well as along the coast; he also claimed that 1,747 fighters from the group were killed. Al Jazeera notes that it was unable to independently verify reports from the battlefield.
The combat reports are coming on the day of talks in Riyadh involving representatives of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey under the Makkah Agreement on joint defense. Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar arrived in Saudi Arabia, while Defense Minister Khawaja Asif and military chief Asim Munir are expected to join the talks.
Last week, Dar said the parties would discuss a proposal for political engagement with the Houthis, whom Al Jazeera describes as an Iran-linked group, as an alternative to a military option. Al Jazeera correspondent Michael Appel noted that the war in Yemen is likely to be one of the key topics of the meeting.
Source: UA
