Houthis gain ground in Yemen but suffer casualties

A military convoy from the Ansar Allah movement (commonly known as the Houthis) heading toward Aden was destroyed by airstrikes in the Wadi Hassan region of Abyan province last night, according to al-Araby al-Jadeed's sources.

The airstrike, part of Operation Decisive Storm, the saudi-led campaign against the Houthi movement, reportedly caused heavy casualties in the convoy.

Meanwhile, pro-Houthi military forces stationed in the Abyan town of Lawdar advanced towards Zinjibar, the province's most important town.

Locals said the disparity in the military armament of both sides enabled the Houthis to advance and seize control of the town.

Locals said these forces clashed with pro-Hadi tribal militants and the Southern Movement's forces on the outskirts of the town. They also said the disparity in the military armament of both sides enabled the Houthis to advance and seize control of the town. Both sides reportedly suffered casualties.

In the southern province of Lahej, there have been reports of more than 17 deaths among Houthi militants in an ambush set up by pro-Hadi popular committee militants in the area of Wahat, located between Aden and Lahej. A source in the Lahej-based popular committees confirmed this to al-Araby.

In a statement issued yesterday, Aden-based pro-Hadi forces declared a curfew in the city, beginning Friday night.

On the other hand, Taiz was the only city that witnessed a calm Friday. In a post circulated today on social media, activists announced a rally to protest the advances made by Houthis and pro-Saleh forces, and to declare support for Shawqi Ahmed Hael, the governor of Taiz, who announced two days ago his return to his duties after a break in protests against the Houthis' advances in his city.

This is an edited translation from our Arabic edition.