SANAA, Nov. 15 — Yemen’s Houthi fighters seized key military positions in the southern province of Lahj early Sunday, advancing closer to the port city of Aden as government forces supported by the Saudi-led coalition struggled to contain their offensive, two military sources told Xinhua.
The Houthis seized the strategic Kharaz military base and several surrounding mountain positions in Lahj’s Al-Madaribah wa Al-Arah district, near the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Gulf of Aden, following fierce clashes that forced government troops to retreat, the sources said on condition of anonymity.
One military source on the ground described the loss of Kharaz as a major battlefield setback, saying the base had served as a crucial defensive line protecting the western approaches to Aden, the temporary seat of Yemen’s internationally recognized government, and routes leading to the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait.
“The Houthis are moving closer to Aden as government forces continue to lose ground,” the source said, adding that retreating troops were building new fortifications along the city’s western approaches to prevent further advances.
The second military source attributed the setbacks partly to the poor performance of the Giants Brigades, a powerful military formation previously established by the port city of Aden. He said the force had suffered unexpectedly rapid defeats, reflecting a sharp decline in its combat effectiveness under the current Saudi-led military arrangements.
He also cited divisions within the anti-Houthi camp, particularly tensions between Saudi Arabia and the Southern Transitional Council, an influential southern separatist group with substantial military strength that has largely stayed out of the latest offensive. “Weakening the southern forces will only give the Houthis more room to advance,” he warned.
The reported gains highlight growing challenges facing the Saudi-led coalition’s renewed offensive to secure Bab al-Mandab, a vital maritime chokepoint connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
Despite sustained military operations, government forces backed by Saudi Arabia have struggled to contain Houthi advances, while divisions among their allies have further complicated efforts to regain control of the strategic territory.
Yemen has been mired in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, and much of northern Yemen, prompting Saudi-led military intervention in 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government. (Namibia Daily News / Xinhua)
