AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Yemen's armed forces yesterday succeeded in carrying out a new military advance on the fronts of Lahj province in southern Yemen and took control of vast areas overlooking the Gulf of Aden. According to Yemeni shipping sources, this advance will pave the way for possible monitoring and targeting of the Zionist regime's movements in the "Somaliland" region on the opposite shore of the Gulf of Aden.
Yemen's armed forces' advance in Lahj and approach to the shores of the Gulf of Aden
These sources, in a conversation with Lebanon's Al-Akhbar newspaper, explained that Yemen's armed forces advanced in the "Tawr Al-Baha" area and approached the coastline extending from "Khawr Umayrah" to the south of the Bab al-Mandab Strait. They noted that after completing control over the highlands of "Al-Mudaraba," "Ras Al-Arah," "Tawr Al-Baha," the "Al-Subaiha" mountain range, and vast areas of "Al-Qubaytah" district — which is considered a strategic area on the contact line between Taiz and Lahj — the fall of the "Karsh" front and its coming under the control of Yemen's armed forces will be only a matter of time.
Thus, Yemen's armed forces on the fronts of Lahj province, located northwest of Aden, impose a new military reality.
According to a military source, the infiltration of Yemen's armed forces into the Tawr Al-Baha area took place in circumstances where the "Fourth Brigade" affiliated with the "Islah" party, commanded by "Abu Bakr Al-Jabouli," had collapsed. This source said that dozens of military and armored vehicles belonging to Al-Jabouli's forces evacuated their positions and their departure from the area was observed.
These developments occurred after Yemen's armed forces advanced from two axes, "Hayfan" and "Al-Maqatirah," completed the siege of several Saudi-affiliated battalions, succeeded in capturing the forces of an entire battalion, and seized about 100 modern military vehicles.
Al-Anad base within range; Saudi Arabia transfers heavy equipment to Aden
Following these developments, which have also placed the Al-Anad military base under threat, informed military sources in Aden announced that Saudi forces have ordered the "Dira Al-Watan" forces stationed at this base to change their positions and transfer heavy weapons toward Aden.
Also, Saudi officers over the past two days have been removing large quantities of modern weapons from the Al-Anad base.
Completion of control over the western areas of Lahj and strengthening the position on the Bab al-Mandab maritime route
On this same front, Yemen's armed forces yesterday completed securing the western districts of Lahj province located on the borders of Aden after carrying out a broad and multi-axis operation.
Tribal sources reported that groups of these forces advancing from the west of the Al-Maqatirah area joined other forces that had infiltrated from the east of Al-Mudaraba and Ras Al-Arah and were moving toward the center of Tawr Al-Baha.
The three mentioned districts are considered the western defense fortress of Lahj province. Therefore, the complete control of Yemen's armed forces over these areas can strengthen these forces' control over the maritime passage extending from the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden through the Bab al-Mandab Strait and 100 kilometers long.
With the transfer of Yemen's armed forces from the stage of securing the mountain ranges and highlands overlooking the coasts extending from the Bab al-Mandab Strait to near "Ras Imran" in Aden, the scope of conflicts has extended to the villages, local areas, and districts from which the military forces dispatched to carry out the mission assigned by Saudi Arabia in the south of the Bab al-Mandab Strait were mobilized.
These forces are now only a few steps away from controlling vast and strategic coasts. Coasts, some of which are used for human trafficking from the countries of the Horn of Africa and others for smuggling deadly agricultural pesticides.
Calls for the withdrawal of Saudi-affiliated forces from the south of Bab al-Mandab
Following these developments, voices rose in southern Yemen calling for the Salafi groups that Saudi Arabia has dispatched to the south of the Bab al-Mandab Strait to be asked to leave. These groups were called to quickly withdraw from their positions and return to the outskirts of Aden to defend this city.
At the same time, nightly gatherings were held in Aden in which protesters demanded the withdrawal of Saudi-affiliated forces and the avoidance of militarizing this city so that Aden would be safe from airstrikes.
However, the "Islah" party accused the Southern Transitional Council of collusion with Yemen's armed forces. This party claimed that the Southern Transitional Council has adopted such an approach with the aim of striking at Saudi Arabia. The same Saudi Arabia that late last year used the "Dira Al-Watan" forces and the Salafi "Al-Tawarri" forces to eliminate the military presence of the Islah party in the southern provinces of Yemen.
Ambush against Saudi forces and increased tension among allied groups
These accusations intensified after Saudi forces in several southern provinces of Yemen were targeted by armed ambushes. Reports indicate operations in which the movement route of Saudi reinforcement forces on the "Al-Abr - Shabwa" road in eastern Yemen was blocked and they were attacked.
Also, unknown armed individuals attacked a military column belonging to the "Dira Al-Watan" forces in Abyan province. As a result of this attack, Brigadier General "Mohammed Ahmed Al-Humayqani," the brigade commander, and five other officers were killed.
Warning about the advance of Yemen's armed forces toward Aden
In contrast, a number of leaders of the Southern Transitional Council over the past two days asked the southern "Al-Amaliqa" forces stationed in the south of the Bab al-Mandab Strait to immediately return to Aden and establish its defense lines before the city falls.
Previously, "Ali Al-Nasi," a military analyst, had warned about the dangers of Yemen's armed forces advancing toward Aden and said that the southern groups fighting alongside Saudi Arabia might become victims in a battle lost by Saudi Arabia at the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
He had emphasized that the duty of these forces is to change positions and redeploy on the outskirts of the city of Aden.
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