Fierce Battles Near the Mandheling Strait, High Ground Changes Hands Several Times

Adan News: According to officials from the Yemeni government forces and Houthi armed groups on the 17th, intense fighting has erupted in the past 24 hours near the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, as both sides vie for control of the high ground overlooking this important waterway in the Middle East.

An anonymous Yemeni government military official told Xinhua that since the 16th, fierce battles have continued in the mountainous areas of Kahbob in Lahij province in southern Yemen and the surrounding high ground, with the Houthi armed groups launching a new offensive against government military defensive positions.

This screenshot from a video taken on September 9 shows thick smoke rising after Houthi positions in Al-Jawf province, Yemen, were hit by airstrikes. Xinhua News Agency (Photo provided by Houthi Media Center)

The official stated, "The fighting has not stopped since last night. The Houthi armed groups are trying to seize the high ground, while the government forces are holding their positions." At least 19 government soldiers have been killed and 15 injured, with the wounded being sent to a military hospital in the southern port city of Aden.

A Houthi armed group official, who also requested anonymity, confirmed that as of now, the fighting between the Houthi armed groups and government forces near the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait remains in a stalemate, with several high points changing hands multiple times, and neither side achieving a decisive breakthrough. At least 25 Houthi fighters have been killed, with several others injured.

The officer told reporters that Saudi Arabia has carried out dozens of airstrikes against Houthi fighters, vehicles, and positions in the past 24 hours, while providing cover for the ground forces of the Yemeni government.

Recently, the Houthi armed groups have intensified their offensive against government forces and announced a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia, which supports the Yemeni government. On the 10th, both the Yemeni government forces and the Houthi armed groups confirmed that the Houthis had captured the strategic Red Sea location of Mocha that day. The Houthis claimed on the 11th that since launching their offensive on September 3, they have seized approximately 5,400 square kilometers of land in western Yemen. The Yemeni government stated on the same day that the Houthis have controlled the entire western coastline of the country and continue to advance southward.

Reporter: Yin Zhao