The key facts

  • Yemen's army 35th Armored Brigade reported capturing a Houthi unit that operated drones on the Al-Akroud-Kahlan front southeast of Taiz
  • The number of detainees and details of the operation were not disclosed; the Houthis did not comment on the statement
  • Fighting under Operation Yemen's Dawn has been ongoing since October 5; the escalation began in July

Brigade Statement

Yemen's army announced on Friday, October 16, that it had captured in the southwestern province of Taiz a group belonging to the Houthi movement and specializing in operating drones. According to a statement by the 35th Armored Brigade published on Facebook, its forces detained a Houthi unit 'working on drone operation for the group' on the Al-Akroud-Kahlan front southeast of Taiz. The brigade described the operation as part of field efforts by government forces to counter Houthi activity and strengthen combat readiness at frontline positions.

Unconfirmed Details

The statement did not specify how many people were captured and gave no details about the circumstances of the operation. The Houthis offered no immediate reaction to the army's report.

Context of Escalation in Taiz

The report came amid an intensification in October of clashes between government forces and the Houthis in Taiz. According to the army, on October 11 it regained control of two heights in the Al-Akroud area south of Taiz, and on October 6 it reported the deaths of 100 Houthi fighters and the downing of five drones during operations on several axes of the province, including Al-Akroud. In the province, alongside intensified fighting, the humanitarian situation deteriorated, and thousands of residents were forced to leave their homes due to the clashes and restrictions on supply routes.

Operation Yemen's Dawn

Since October 5, government forces have been conducting the military operation Yemen's Dawn. Rashad al-Alimi, Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council, stated that its goal is to return state institutions from Houthi control and retake the capital, Sanaa. The current events are part of a military escalation that began in July and has become the largest since the period of relative calm associated with the truce in effect since April 2022. Yemen has been in a state of war since September 2014, when the Houthis seized Sanaa and a number of provinces; in March 2015, a Saudi Arabia-led coalition intervened in support of the Yemeni government.