The escalation by the Houthi group on Yemen’s west coast and Taiz entered its fourth day on Sunday, as government forces shifted from containing the attack to pursuing the group’s operatives in southeastern Hodeidah, following the complete liberation of the Hays district. Meanwhile, battles continued in western Taiz and amid attempts to reclaim positions where the Houthis have made advances. Field sources said the Yemeni armed forces have captured dozens of Houthis during the fighting. Many are underage. The forces also continued to advance north of Hays towards the al-Garrahi district. The military is also assessing its positions on the fronts in western Taiz, especially al-Kadha where the Houthi advance is threatening to cut the main supply route between Taiz and al-Mokha cities. On Saturday, government and joint forces announced the complete liberation of the Hays district. The achievement follows the reclamation of rural areas that had remained under Houthi control for years, despite the initial liberation of the district's center back in 2018. The complete liberation of Hays followed a counteroffensive launched by government forces. Al-Garrahi The government advance on al-Garrahi is significant because capturing the district will pave the way for the forces to move on Houthi-held Hodeidah and cut the route connecting the province with Ibb and the Tihamah regions. The Houthis have been regrouping to counter the government advance from Hays towards southeastern Hodeidah, said the field sources. In western Taiz, fighting continued on the Jabal Habashi front, particularly in the al-Kadha area where the Houthis managed to achieve a field breakthrough during the offensive, a development that now threatens the main road connecting Taiz city and the coastal city of Mokha. Government forces are working to reassess the situation in preparation of pursuing the Houthis and reclaiming the positions they captured, while also stabilizing defensive lines and preventing the group from expanding the scope of its advance. The forces had made advances in the Haifan front in southeastern Taiz on Saturday. The area overlooks Houthi supply routes leading to northwestern Lahj and southern Taiz. On Sunday, the Houthi fired three ballistic missiles on civilian facilities. No casualties were reported, said local sources. The militants also continued their sniper attacks in residential areas in western Taiz, wounding a woman and three children in the al-Kadha and Rahba areas.
