Why the Houthi advance towards Yemen’s Marib, Taiz matters
Marib is home to Yemen's oil sector. Whoever controls it secures economic gains. Taiz's location makes it critical.
Yemen’s government forces have carried out air attacks against the Iran-backed Houthis to repel their advances, as the rebel group has been gaining ground in government-held positions in the past week.
The focus of the fighting is now shifting to the region of Marib – the government’s last remaining stronghold in the north and a major oil and gas hub. Should the Houthis gain control of it, it could decisively turn the tide of the war in their favour, say analysts.
Heated battles are also taking place in western Taiz, on the western coast, where reports suggest government forces, supported by Saudi Arabia, are now on the counteroffensive after losing some ground there last week. A video released on Monday by the Yemeni army purports to show Houthi positions and vehicles being bombed there.
The optics of a win in Marib would also be a powerful propaganda tool for the Houthis, helping them convince many Yemenis that the group is on a roll militarily and is poised for even greater victories, said Nabil Hetari, a Yemeni writer and human rights activist.