Yemeni army seizes control of last Houthi-held position in Nehim

At least 13 Iran-backed Houthi fighters were killed in the northern district

UAE-backed Yemeni soldiers ride on the back of a military patrol vehicle in the Red Sea port city of Al Mokha, Yemen on March 5, 2018. Aziz El Yaakoubi / Reuters

The Yemeni army – with air support from the Saudi-led coalition – has seized control of the last Houthi-held military site in the northern district of Nehim, east of Sanaa.

"They took control of the Houthis' last site in the Yam Mountains in the Nehim district," Mahmood Al Humaidi, a reporter based in the area, told The National.

The Yemeni Armed Forces' media centre confirmed late on Monday that the army had “liberated the last posts of the Houthi coup militia” in Nehim.

It said on Twitter that 13 Houthi fighters, including two field commanders, were killed in fierce clashes in Dhabwa in the Nehim district.

Meanwhile, the Saudi-led coalition – which includes the UAE – fighting on behalf of the internationally recognised government of Yemeni President Abdrabu Mansur Hadi launched air strikes on a number of targets, reported Al Arabiya news channel.

The report added that three Houthi vehicles carrying weapons were destroyed.

In Saada province in the north-west of the country, the army advanced in Razeh district and seized control of Al Azhoor mountain range, which is 27 kilometres from the Marran district – the birthplace of Abdulmalik Al Houthi, head of the Houthi rebels.

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Mr Al Humaidi said the Houthi field commander in Razeh was killed in the clashes on Monday, while dozens of others were killed in coalition air strikes.

Along the western coast battle front, more than 50 Houthi fighters were killed in air strikes, a military source told The National. He said that a coalition fighter jet had targeted a gathering of Houthis in Al Hodeidah's Tuhaita district to the west of the country.