Yemeni army recaptures Al-Yatmah area from Houthis in north

The Yemeni army said on Tuesday that its forces had recaptured the Al-Yatmah area in northern Al-Jawf province from Houthi militias, declaring the operation part of continued field advances against the Iran-backed group in the strategic region near the Saudi border.

Al-Jawf operation

The military said in a statement that troops had secured the district following coordinated operations against Houthi positions. "Our armed forces managed to liberate the Al-Yatmah area in Khabb wa Al-Shaaf district in Al-Jawf from the grip of the Houthi militias," the army said, adding that the advance forms part of broader efforts to secure the province. Al-Yatmah lies near the Saudi border and adjacent to the oil-rich Marib province — a crucial government stronghold that has seen fierce fighting in recent months.

Escalation on multiple fronts

Clashes have escalated on several fronts in recent days, particularly in Taiz and Al-Bayda provinces, alongside airstrikes targeting Houthi military installations. The Houthi movement did not immediately comment on the Al-Jawf losses, though the group typically disputes government claims of territorial advances.

Yemen has been gripped by civil war since the Houthis seized Sanaa and several provinces in September 2014, prompting a Saudi-led Arab coalition to intervene in March 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government. The conflict has killed more than 150,000 people and displaced millions, creating one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.