Aden (South24)

The Iranian-backed Houthi militia escalated its field operations by blowing up large sections of the vital road linking Abyan and Al-Bayda governorates, in an apparent attempt to fully block it ahead of potential military operations, according to local field sources.

The sources said that on December 10, Houthi forces detonated key sections of the Tharah–Mekiras road and the adjacent mountain using explosive devices and landmines, causing several powerful blasts that were heard repeatedly across the area.

The road is considered one of the most critical logistical arteries influencing any potential military advance by the Southern Armed Forces toward Al-Bayda governorate.

Administratively, Mekiras falls under Al-Bayda governorate, but prior to 1990 it was one of the districts of Southern Abyan governorate.

In a statement posted on its Facebook page, the Tharah Front Media Center said that Houthi elements attempted in the morning to block the road by placing metal containers across it. Southern Forces confronted the move and forced the militants to retreat. The militia later returned at night and resumed the demolition using dynamite and landmines, aiming to permanently block the road.

This development coincided with a meeting between the President of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) and member of the Presidential Leadership Council, Maj. Gen. Aidarous Al-Zubaidi, and Al-Bayda Governor Maj. Gen. Al-Khader Al-Sawadi. During the meeting, Al-Zubaidi stressed that the liberation of Al-Bayda is a “top priority” to ensure security and stability in the region.

At the same time, sources, whose identities could not be independently verified, reported Houthi movements northward toward areas in Al-Jawf governorate adjacent to the Saudi border and Hadramout, signaling possible field redeployment in anticipation of shifts in the conflict’s trajectory. This comes amid recent political and military developments in southern Yemen, including the STC’s control over the security operations theater within the historical borders of South Yemen.

Meanwhile, Yemeni local media reported on Friday, citing a military official, that the Houthi militia has sent reinforcements to Taiz governorate and is preparing to launch an attack on areas controlled by forces loyal to the internationally recognized government.

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Researchers believe these moves reflect a state of confusion within the group. Yemeni researcher Farea Al-Muslimi told the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) that the military developments in the South and the emergence of a unified leadership there have “clearly raised concerns within the Houthi military leadership.”

He noted that the group realizes that shifts in the balance of power could limit its ability to maneuver or use southern areas for smuggling weapons and people, as had occurred in the past.

Al-Bayda governorate holds particular strategic importance due to its central location in Yemen and its connection to eight governorates, making control over it a decisive factor in ground operations and the balance of power among the various parties.

Officials in the Southern Transitional Council say that “Promising Future” operation through which Southern Forces expanded their influence into Shabwa and Hadramout governorates, aims to secure both governorates, combat terrorism and smuggling, and prepare for a potential confrontation with the Houthis.