Houthi forces close to 80 km from Aden, squeezing the last supply line to Taiz
The advance puts fighters within striking distance of the government's temporary capital and threatens to sever the final road link to the besieged city of Taiz.
By Tariq Carter ·
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis have advanced to a point just 80 km from Aden, the closest they have come to the city since 2015. Four military sources told Reuters on Monday that the fighters are now near the main stronghold of the internationally recognized government.
The push places Houthi troops along the primary road connecting Aden to Taiz. This route serves as a critical artery for southwestern Yemen. The offensive began in September when the group seized territory along the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a major shipping lane for Saudi oil exports to Asia.
Government forces are fighting to hold the Tur al-Bahah district, a key approach to Aden. The area is roughly 50 km from the provincial capital of Lahj. Combatants clashed at a military camp in this district on Monday. The Houthis launched an assault on government positions in Al-Maqatirah three days prior and have since taken the entire district.
The mountainous terrain of Al-Maqatirah overlooks the road between Taiz and Aden. Houthi fighters have forced government troops to retreat toward Tur al-Bahah. Houthi official Hamid Rizq posted a video of fighters entering Souq al-Rabouh in Maqatirah, though Reuters has not yet verified the footage.
This escalation threatens the final remaining link between government-held territory and Taiz. The city has been encircled since early October when the Houthis cut the main road south to Aden. The siege has displaced more than 100,000 people and created shortages of food, fuel, and medicine.
The conflict has shattered the 2022 UN-brokered truce that had largely halted major attacks since the war began in 2014. Houthi strikes on Aden have intensified in recent weeks. The group hit Aden airport on Wednesday after issuing evacuation warnings, and they targeted the presidential palace in October.
The violence draws both the Houthis and Saudi Arabia deeper into the wider US-Israeli war with Iran. Saudi Arabia, which backs the Yemeni government, has stepped up strikes on Houthi positions in response to escalated attacks. Yemen’s information minister did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
