Yemeni forces push to retake Houthi-controlled al-Waziiya in Taiz

Yemeni government-aligned troops launched a large-scale offensive Tuesday to capture the mountainous al-Waziiya district from Houthi fighters. The operation aims to secure the Red Sea coast and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a vital maritime corridor.

The campaign falls under the "Dawn of Yemen" offensive, announced Sunday by Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council. The strategy seeks to reclaim all territory held by the Iran-backed group since 2014, including the capital, Sanaa.

Yemen’s army media centre reported that the Homeland Shield Forces advanced on the district. “The armed forces have secured strategic hills overlooking the al-Mansoura area, amidst a mass retreat by the Houthi militia,” the centre stated, citing a military source. Houthi forces disputed the report, claiming they successfully blocked the advance.

Al-Waziiya sits west of Taiz and east of the Red Sea port of Mocha. Houthi fighters seized Mocha and surrounding areas last month in a rapid push. Control of the district is essential for any attempt to retake the port. “These are the mountains that the Houthis took control of prior to the takeover of the city of Mocha,” Al Jazeera’s Yousef Mawry said.

The ground fighting coincided with aerial clashes. Saudi Arabia intercepted and destroyed a Houthi ballistic missile aimed at the southwestern city of Khamis Mushait. Major-General Turki al-Maliki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition, said the launch originated from Houthi-controlled Sanaa and the governorates of Saada and Amran.

Earlier Tuesday, Saudi civil aviation authorities confirmed that King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz airport in Jazan and Najran airport near the Yemen border were struck. The attacks wounded three people and damaged infrastructure. Houthi fighters had claimed responsibility for targeting sites across southern Saudi Arabia on Monday.

The Saudi-led coalition confirmed it is supporting the ground offensive with 100 fighter jets providing air cover. Meanwhile, Pakistan and Turkiye agreed to activate deterrence measures under a mutual defense pact with Saudi Arabia. Both nations plan to rapidly deploy forces to the Gulf kingdom to counter ongoing Houthi attacks.