Yemeni forces capture key mountain range from Houthis in Al-Jawf

Yemeni government forces have completed their capture of the strategic Huwayshian mountain range in the northern province of Al-Jawf following intense battles with Houthi fighters, a field commander said Saturday, as military operations continue to intensify across the war-torn country.

Mountain range secured

Col. Rabie al-Qurashi, an army field commander in Al-Jawf, told Anadolu that loyalist troops had secured the entire mountain range east of Al-Hazm, the provincial capital that remains under Houthi control. He said the advance followed heavy fighting with the Iran-backed group and was supported by coalition warplanes that destroyed dozens of rebel vehicles. The military operation remains underway, he added, as forces consolidate their hold on the newly captured positions.

Supply routes targeted

Local Yemeni media reported that capturing the high ground enables government forces to cut Houthi supply routes in the province. The mountains also overlook key rebel positions near Al-Hazm, providing loyalist troops with a tactical advantage in future operations, according to an Anadolu correspondent.

Government forces seized parts of the range during clashes Friday before completing their capture Saturday, the correspondent confirmed. The mountains form the first line of defense for Al-Hazm, which sits in a contested region where control remains divided between the rival factions.

Strategic border province

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 remain under government control.

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.