Cairo: Yemeni government forces have liberated a strategically important area from Iran-aligned Al Houthis in the militants’ stronghold of Saada near the Saudi border, an army commander said on Tuesday.
The Yemeni army, supported by air cover from a Saudi-led Arab coalition, retook the area of Al Malahiz near the mountains of Maran, Major-General Abdul Karim Al Sadai said, according to Al Arabiya.
The national army troops have controlled Al Malahiz and cut off supply routes for Al Houthi rebels after the forces seized the road linking Saada and the province of Hajjah in north-western Yemen, he said. “The troops killed commanders and dozens of Al Houthi elements in this battle,” Maj Gen Al Sadai added.
Al Malahiz is located around 20 kilometres from the district of Maran, from which most Al Houthis leaders hail.
In recent weeks, the pro-government forces, supported by the Coalition, unleashed a multi-front campaign in Yemen against Al Houthis.
The main target is the far northern province of Saada, used by Al Houthis as a launch pad for firing missiles into the Saudi territory.
Saudi air defences on Monday night destroyed and intercepted a ballistic missile fired by Al Houthis towards the southern Saudi region of Najran, Saudi media said. No casualties were reported. It was the third such missile launched by the Iran-backed extremists targeting Saudi Arabia.
Yemen has experienced devastating strife since late 2014 when Al Houthis staged a coup against the internationally recognised government and seized the capital Sana’a.
In 2015, the Saudi-led coalition initiated a military campaign in Yemen after Al Houthis advanced on Aden, the temporary capital of the country after their takeover of Sana’a.
