Fighting Rages in Northern Yemen, Both Sides Claim Heavy Losses Inflicted

Fighting continues to rage in northern Yemen this weekend, with the government and the Shi’ite Houthis contesting various parts of the Jawf Province, and both claiming substantial gains, and to have inflicted heavy losses on the other.

It’s not clear that at this point anything substantial really changed hands, as what was reported as Houthi-seized earlier is now being reported as recovered by the government, who says they are hoping to advance into the Hazm District.

The Houthis reported airstrikes hit them in the east of Jawf, a  region which tends to be contested. The Saudi use of warplanes has tended to give the government an advantage in several areas, though the Houthis hold on northernmost Yemen makes a lot of these areas very contested.

Jawf isn’t considered hugely valuable strategically, despite its size, and fighting there is often about inflicting casualties as opposed to seizing territory.