Forces aligned with Yemen's internationally recognised government have launched a major offensive to capture the mountainous district of al-Waziiya in Taiz governorate from Houthi control. The operation was announced as part of the 'Dawn of Yemen' campaign, declared on Sunday by Presidential Leadership Council chairman Rashad al-Alimi, which aims to retake all remaining Houthi-held territory, including the capital Sanaa.
The media centre of Yemen's army stated on X that the Homeland Shield Forces had begun 'a large-scale operation' to retake al-Waziiya, securing strategic hills overlooking the al-Mansoura area and claiming a mass retreat by Houthi forces. The Houthis denied the claim, stating they had successfully repelled the government advance.
The district is strategically located west of Taiz, east of the Red Sea port of Mocha. The Houthis had seized Mocha and areas around the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a critical maritime corridor, in a lightning offensive last month. Al Jazeera's Yousef Mawry reported that securing al-Waziiya is essential for any government attempt to recapture Mocha.
The fighting coincided with the Saudi-led coalition intercepting a ballistic missile launched by the Houthis towards Khamis Mushait. Coalition spokesperson Major-General Turki al-Maliki said the coalition continues to neutralise Houthi missile threats. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation reported that airports in Jazan and Najran were hit in attacks that wounded three people, causing injuries of varying severity and material damage.
The offensive and the Houthi retaliation mark the latest escalation in the conflict, highlighting the fragility of ceasefire efforts and the ongoing struggle for control of strategic areas along the Red Sea coast.