Yemen Government Claims Capture of Mount Qarfan in Taiz
Government forces announce control of strategic highland, disrupting Houthi defensive lines along the Red Sea coast.
Key points
- Government forces claim control of Mount Qarfan, gaining surveillance advantage over Red Sea coastal valleys.
- Houthis sought mountain control to shield coastal positions and potentially sever government-held southern regions.
- Over 158,000 people displaced this month as fighting continues and civilians flee to Djibouti and Somalia.
Yemen’s Saudi-backed government forces announced on Tuesday that they have secured full control of Mount Qarfan in the western governorate of Taiz. The statement from the Yemen Armed Forces Media Center indicates that troops, supported by local fighters, have re-established command over this key highland position after intense engagements with Iran-aligned Houthi fighters.
The capture of the mountain is significant for its tactical value, providing government forces with commanding surveillance and fire control over the surrounding valleys. According to the chief of staff for the Taiz military axis, Major General Abdulaziz al-Majidi, the battle resulted in the killing of five Houthi fighters and the wounding of twenty others, marking a pivotal shift in the local power balance.
Strategic highlands dictate coastal security
Analysts suggest the Houthi push toward the Kahboub Mountains was intended to create a defensive shield for their forces on the Red Sea coast. Faozi Al-Goidi, a visiting fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, told Al Jazeera that controlling these heights would allow the group to sever the coast from the government-held south, placing direct pressure on Lahj and potentially threatening Aden in the long term.
Regional tensions amplify local conflict
The fighting for these highlands occurs amid broader regional escalation linked to the conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran. Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed on Tuesday that his forces shot down a reconnaissance drone over Mocha, while also stating that Saudi warplanes carried out nineteen air strikes across Taiz, al-Jawf, and Marib governorates over the previous day.
Humanitarian crisis deepens with displacement
As military operations intensify, the humanitarian situation in Yemen continues to deteriorate. The World Health Organization reported that nearly 3,000 people have been injured and 674 killed in renewed fighting since early August. Meanwhile, Yemen’s Executive Unit for the Management of Displaced Persons Camps indicates that more than 158,000 people have been displaced this month alone.
Civilians are reportedly resorting to dangerous sea crossings to Djibouti and Somalia to escape the violence. Ibrahim Al-Huri, an assistant professor at the University of Saba Region, described the desperation of those fleeing, noting that many are using primitive boats and ending up in overcrowded camps with limited access to food, water, and medical care.
