Yemen government vows 'battle for survival' against Houthi advances

Yemeni government forces on Saturday described their confrontation with Houthi fighters as a "battle for survival" amid a sharp military escalation along the country's western coast and multiple strategic fronts, as clashes intensified near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Western coast offensive

Military spokesman Majid al-Nuzaili said in a statement that airstrikes had "eliminated large gatherings" of Houthi members in the strategic coastal city of Mokha. The strikes also "completely destroyed Houthi vehicles and weapons" near Mokha port, he said, adding that other strikes targeted gatherings along the Mokha-Dhubab road in the Al-Mahjar al-Hayawani area, around 11 kilometers (6.8 miles) from the city.

In the northwestern Hajjah province, the media center of the government’s Fifth Military Region said Yemeni military aircraft struck a Houthi missile launcher in the Abs district. The Houthi capture of Mokha and sections of the western coastline represented a significant shift toward controlling the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which has become a key objective of the group's latest advances.

Fighting spreads to Taiz and Lahij

In the southwestern Taiz province, strikes targeted Houthi positions northeast of Taiz city amid intensive aircraft activity, according to the independent Al-Masdar Online news website. Taiz and its western fronts are central to the coastal battle because of the province's commanding geographical position overlooking the Red Sea.

In neighboring Lahij province, the government-aligned Giants Brigades said its forces were engaged in clashes with the Houthis along the border of the Al-Mudaraba district. The brigades said they responded to Houthi fire using light and medium weapons and managed to silence the sources of the attack, adding that their forces prevented the Houthis from advancing.

The Giants Brigades’ command described the confrontation with the Houthis as a "battle for survival and steadfastness." "Our forces are fully prepared to repel any aggression and protect every inch of our land," the command added.

Drone strikes and Marib defenses

The government’s Nation’s Shield Forces said that they had carried out "precision" drone strikes against Houthi positions in the southwestern Al-Dhale province, releasing footage showing an aerial strike targeting a gathering of dozens of Houthi members. Lahij and Al-Dhale form a defensive barrier for Yemen’s southern provinces, particularly the government’s temporary capital, Aden.

Yemeni government forces also repelled large-scale Houthi attacks against military positions in southern and western Marib, including attempts to advance on the Al-Mashjah and Al-Zour fronts, according to reports circulated by Yemeni news outlets. Marib remains one of the most important strongholds of the internationally recognized government.

Houthi claims and coalition war

The latest developments follow Houthi claims that the group had captured the entire province of Al-Hudaydah and announced advances in western Taiz, the capture of Mokha and its Red Sea port, and their arrival at the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Government forces, meanwhile, have reported gains in the northern Al-Jawf province along the Saudi border and said they were approaching its provincial capital, Al-Hazm.

Yemen has been engulfed in conflict since the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa in September 2014. A Saudi-led Arab coalition intervened in March 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government.