Yemen Claims 1,860 Houthi Fighters ‘Neutralised’ As Offensive Expands

Yemeni armed forces spokesman Colonel Majed Al-Nuzayli said Thursday that government forces had carried out 2,103 precision operations against Houthi military positions, personnel and supply lines across multiple fronts since the start of the offensive. He said the attacks had “neutralised” 1,860 members of the Houthi movement and destroyed hundreds of military vehicles, weapons and other sites.

The figure is a claim by Yemen’s government and has not been independently verified. The statement also did not specify how many of those described as “neutralised” were killed or wounded.

Offensive Expands

The latest claim follows President Rashad Mohammed Al-Alimi’s announcement on Sunday that government forces were beginning military operations to recover territory still under Houthi control and restore state authority across Yemen.

“We have moved from the stage of preparation to the stage of action,” Al-Alimi said, announcing the start of the operation after what he described as the exhaustion of opportunities for de-escalation. He said the objective was to restore government institutions and extend state authority across the country.

Al-Alimi said the campaign was not directed at civilians in areas controlled by the Houthis. “You are not the target of these operations,” he said, urging residents to stay away from military sites, armed gatherings and Houthi supply routes. He also called on fighters who abandon their weapons to take up the government’s offer of a “safe return” and amnesty under announced procedures.

Bab El-Mandab Secured

Government forces have reported gains along Yemen’s western coast, including the strategically important Bab el-Mandab Strait.

Yemen’s state news agency, reported on Monday that government forces had taken control of Bab el-Mandab and Dhubab Airport in western Taiz governorate after outflanking Houthi positions. The Giants Brigades and Nation’s Shield Forces were also reported to have secured the area and cut the road linking Dhubab with Mokha, bringing the route under fire control.

Al-Nuzayli said hundreds of Houthi fighters had been encircled in Dhubab and called on them to surrender. Some, he said, had escaped by sea.

The government has presented the offensive as part of a wider campaign to restore control over territory, state institutions and key transport and maritime routes.

Military Push

The latest figures are substantially higher than those released by the government during the earlier phase of the operation. In a September 27 statement, the armed forces said they had conducted 756 operations against Houthi positions and military capabilities across fronts including Saada, Al Jawf, Marib, Al Bayda, Lahj and Taiz, claiming 2,316 Houthi fighters had been killed or wounded.

That earlier statement also accused the Houthis of attacks on civilian infrastructure and claimed continued Iranian military support, allegations that were presented by the Yemeni armed forces and have not been independently established in the supplied sources.

The government has said the current offensive will continue until its objectives are achieved. Saba reported that the armed forces spokesman said the “Dawn of Yemen” operation would continue after the reported capture of Bab el-Mandab and Dhubab Airport.