Yemeni army begins fighting Houthis with drones — Al Jazeera
Forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognized government have announced in recent days that they have used drones against Houthi positions on several fronts—in Marib, Al-Jawf, Taiz, Hajjah, and Ad-Dali. They have also released videos of several such operations, according to Al Jazeera English.
According to the publication, the Houthis have for years held a significant advantage in the use of drones as a means of asymmetric warfare. They have used drones for surveillance and to strike enemy concentrations, command centers, and targets far from the front lines, while government forces have primarily been on the defensive and have attempted to intercept attacks.
Al Jazeera notes that there is still no parity between the sides in terms of drone capabilities: the Houthis have many years of experience and a more developed missile and drone infrastructure. At the same time, even limited use of drones by government forces could influence the situation if Houthi concentrations, transport, artillery, reinforcements, and command centers come under threat of strikes. This could force them to change their deployment, movement, and supply patterns.
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According to the publication, the Houthis are continuing their offensive operations: they have launched strikes on Marib and Hadramaut, repeatedly attacked Al-Mahah, stepped up their activities against Saudi Arabia, and resumed operations in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait area. Marib, Taiz, Al-Mahah, and the western coast, according to Al Jazeera, are key areas for a potential ground operation, so the geography of the strikes may be more significant than their number.
The head of Yemen’s Presidential Steering Council, Rashad al-Alimi, called on the Houthis to lay down their arms and rejoin the country’s political life. At the same time, he stated that any future actions by the Houthis will not go unanswered or without comprehensive deterrence. He identified the restoration of state institutions as the strategic goal, emphasizing the state’s monopoly on weapons and sovereignty. Against the backdrop of tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and the war by the U.S. and Israel against Iran—as characterized by Al Jazeera English—the strategic importance of the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait is growing.
