- Col. Majed Al-Nuzaily, the armed forces spokesperson, warned civilians to stay off the Taiz-Mokha and Mokha-Dhubab roads until further notice
DUBAI: Yemen’s internationally recognized government said on Friday that its air force had begun strikes against Iran-backed Houthi positions within a previously declared military zone, or “kill zone,” in western Taiz, spanning areas around the Red Sea port of Mokha and extending eastward along the Taiz-Mokha road.
The Yemeni Air Force targeted Houthi military equipment in the Dhubab area of western Taiz, the army said in a statement.
Col. Majed Al-Nuzaily, the armed forces spokesperson, warned civilians to stay off the Taiz-Mokha and Mokha-Dhubab roads until further notice, as fighting intensified in the area.
The warning followed an announcement on Thursday that government forces would deploy aircraft and other weaponry against Houthi military positions within the declared zone, which also included the Jabal Al-Nar and areas around Mokha.
The military described the area as a “kill zone,” a term used for a designated military area in which enemy forces are contained or channeled before being targeted with concentrated fire.
It urged civilians to remain away from Houthi positions, military equipment and movements in the area.
The latest strikes come amid escalating fighting across several fronts in Yemen following weeks of Houthi attacks on government-held territory and civilian and economic infrastructure.
Yemen’s National Defense Council said on Thursday that government forces were intensifying operations against the Houthis on several fronts, including in Taiz, Marib, Al-Jawf, Al-Bayda and Al-Dhale, following a recent redeployment of troops along Taiz’s western coast.
The council said any temporary Houthi advance on the battlefield would not be allowed to become a permanent territorial or political reality and urged civilians in combat zones to follow military instructions and stay away from Houthi positions, movements and weapons depots.
It said government forces had made gains in Marib, Al-Jawf and Al-Bayda, adding that fighting on Yemen’s western coast was part of a wider battle to restore state control.
The latest fighting follows a series of Houthi attacks on Mokha and other government-held areas in recent weeks.
The escalation has spread beyond Yemen’s battlefronts. The Houthis earlier this week targeted civilian and energy infrastructure targets in Saudi Arabia’s Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran. The attacks caused several fires at oil facilities in the southern region that led to a temporary halt in some operations, the Energy Ministry said.
The Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen said it would respond in accordance with international law to protect Saudi sovereignty, civilians and national infrastructure.
