In brief
The army’s 1st Emergency Brigade reported seizing weapons depots and key heights in al‑Jawf, a claim met with a denial from Houthi-affiliated media. The capture occurs amid Operation Dawn and fuels ongoing battles in Taiz, spreading shortages of supplies. Both camps continue to exchange conflicting reports about the gains.
Fighting in northern Yemen intensified on Saturday when the army’s media centre reported that the 1st Emergency Brigade had seized weapons and ammunition depots along with strategic heights east of al‑Hazm in al‑Jawf governorate. Yemeni government officials say the operation was part of Operation Dawn, begun in October to reverse gains by the Houthi rebels.
The army’s post on X noted that Houthi fighters were wounded, killed or captured and that several armored vehicles were destroyed. The same report added that the capture of the height would secure a vital corridor to the capital Sanaa.
In contrast, Houthi‑affiliated media said the rebels had thwarted any advance by government troops in al‑Jawf and the nearby governorate of Marib. The group’s statement also mentioned an ongoing offensive in Taiz.
Al‑Jawf sits on Saudi Arabia’s border and lines the Houthi‑held regions of Sanaa and Saada, making it a pivotal front in the fight for national control.
Once again, fighting has spilled over into the besieged city of Taiz, where shortages of food, fuel and medical supplies are worsening. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that more than 290,000 people have fled their homes since August.
The government says it repelled Houthi attacks in al‑Aqroudh and on the Tur al‑Baha front, while the rebels claim two air strikes hit an oil company facility in Bajil district, Hodeidah governorate.
Videos from Yemeni media show the first shipment of medical aid arriving from Marib, although some vehicles are stuck on closed roads. The UN Population Fund notes that nearly 6,100 pregnant women were displaced recently, with 600 expected to give birth in the next two weeks.
Both sides continue to exchange claims, and the validity of each remains disputed.
