Houthi forces have reportedly made significant battlefield advances in rural Taiz, solidifying control over strategic areas and tightening a siege around the city, despite the recent launch of the "Dawn of Yemen" operation aimed at reclaiming militia-controlled territories.
The militia successfully captured the strategically important Mount Matran in the Quds district of the Al-Mawaset district after over 48 hours of intense clashes with fighters from the 35th Armored Brigade and popular resistance forces. Local sources and activists indicated that the withdrawal of pro-government forces from the mountain was necessitated by overwhelming Houthi firepower, occurring without any air support from the legitimate government or the coalition.
Following the capture of Mount Matran, Houthi forces reportedly advanced into the adjacent Bani Yusuf district, completing their control over most of Al-Mawaset district. Fighting has since shifted to the neighboring Al-Sulw district. Concurrently, field sources reported that the Houthi militia is mobilizing for a large-scale assault on Mount Al-Rahish, a vital strategic point connecting the Al-Masrakh and Al-Ma'afer districts, overlooking the city of Al-Nashmah. Control of this mountain is considered crucial for securing the main road linking Taiz city to Turbah.
Analysts suggest that the Houthi objective in securing Mount Al-Rahish is to advance towards the Najd Qaseem area, outflank Al-Masrakh district, and subsequently capture it before moving towards the Al-Dabab area. This would effectively isolate remaining fronts in the Jabal Habshi district. The Houthi militia appears intent on consolidating its control over rural Taiz districts before engaging the city itself, which is now reportedly under a complete blockade following the militia's seizure of key routes connecting the city to its rural hinterlands and onward to Aden.
Observers have voiced grave concerns regarding the deteriorating military situation in Taiz, particularly for the city itself, which has recently seen an influx of hundreds of families displaced from Houthi-occupied rural districts. The recent military developments have created a sense of shock among the populace in liberated areas, dampening the initial optimism generated by the announcement of the "Dawn of Yemen" operation by the Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad Al-Alimi. The operation was declared to restore state institutions, liberate Sana'a, and end the Houthi coup.
However, the optimism surrounding the operation has rapidly diminished following the significant Houthi advances in the Al-Hujariya fronts and their near-complete encirclement of Taiz city. These advances have occurred in the absence of any intervention or support from government or coalition air forces, raising serious questions about the efficacy and seriousness of the "Dawn of Yemen" operation in deterring Houthi expansion, which began with the fall of the West Coast and Bab al-Mandab approximately a month ago.
