Yemeni government forces say they have taken key mountain range in Al-Jawf
Yemeni government forces said on Saturday, 31 October, that they had taken full control of a strategic mountain range in Al-Jawf province, in northern Yemen near the Saudi border. The claim was reported by a Yemeni military source to the German Press Agency (DPA).
The range, known as Huwayshian — also spelled Hawishyan — lies east of Al-Hazm, the provincial capital. Government forces said they captured large parts of it in fighting on Friday, 30 October, before securing the whole range and taking positions on its highest peak on Saturday. Jets from the Saudi-led coalition gave intensive air support, striking Houthi vehicles and armoured units, according to the military source.
A second report, from Yemen Monitor, said government forces had retaken several military sites and high ground east of Al-Hazm, seizing weapons and ammunition stores near the Duhaidha Mountains. It said Houthi fighters had fled the sites, and that dozens of Houthi fighters were killed or wounded and others captured. These casualty figures come from the government side and have not been independently verified.
Why it matters
The range matters because it is the first line of defence for Al-Hazm, the Houthi-held capital of the province. Holding its highest peak gives government forces a commanding position from which they can defend their gains and prepare a push towards the city itself. Al-Jawf also shares a long border with Saudi Arabia and sits beside Marib and Hadramout, two provinces rich in oil and gas, so any shift of control there carries weight beyond the province. The advance comes as fighting has intensified across several fronts in northern Yemen in recent days.
What happens next
Government forces said their operations would continue to reclaim the rest of Al-Jawf province. The next test is whether they can turn this gain into a move on Al-Hazm itself, and whether the Houthis counter-attack to retake the high ground. Independent confirmation of who holds the range, and any response from the Houthi side, will show whether this is a lasting shift or another swing in a front line that has moved back and forth for years.
This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.
Sources
- https://www.voiceofemirates.com/en/politics/2026/10/31/the-yemeni-army-secures-control-over-a-strategic-mountain-range-in-al-jawf/ (Voice of Emirates, 31 October 2026)
- https://www.yemenmonitor.com/en/Details/ArtMID/908/ArticleID/186473 (Yemen Monitor, 31 October 2026)
