Yemen government forces fortify Aden as Houthis advance

Yemen's internationally recognised government is fortifying positions west and north of Aden province, its de facto capital, as Houthi fighters advance toward the area, three military officials told AFP.

The officials said Houthi fighters had taken strategic hilltops in the Al-Madaribah wal Ara district overlooking Aden province. One official said high-level orders had been issued to establish fortifications as the threat to the government's interim capital drew nearer.

The fortifications include sandbags and tunnels, the officials said. They requested anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.

Fighting has intensified since a 2022 truce collapsed over the summer. Government and Houthi sources said battles over the past couple of days had killed dozens on both sides as government forces repeatedly tried without success to regain control of the Red Sea coast.

A field officer said the Houthis were advancing east of the Bab al-Mandab strait toward the Gulf of Aden coast after taking large parts of Al-Madaribah wal Ara. The officer also said the Houthis had captured the nearby mountainous Al-Maqatirah area, complicating government efforts to retake Taiz.

Aden has come under regular Houthi attack since hostilities resumed, including strikes on the presidential palace complex and a base at the airport.

Yemen has been at war since 2014, when the Houthis seized Sanaa and forced the government to relocate to Aden. The conflict had been largely dormant from 2022 until July, when the fragile truce collapsed.