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Houthi gains expose divisions among Yemen’s anti-Houthi forces
Mohamed al-Basha, founder and lead analyst of the Basha Report, says the Houthis’ latest gains on Yemen’s west coast reflect both their battlefield experience and deep divisions among forces opposed to them.
Al-Basha told Al Jazeera that the operation began on August 9 and lasted about 30 days, with the main ground offensive starting around September 1.
He said Houthi fighters attacked several fronts in small teams, using mountain routes, ambushes and drones to overwhelm government positions.
“They’re a formidable force,” he said, arguing that anti-Houthi factions have repeatedly underestimated their military capabilities.
But al-Basha said the biggest problem facing Yemen’s internationally recognised government is internal division, reports AL Jazeera.
“You’re not going to be able to defeat the Houthis with a split command and control, with eight armies sort of competing over influence,” he said.
He added that foreign military assistance could help only to a point.
“This is a Yemeni conflict, the buck stops with them,” al-Basha said. “This is not Riyadh’s conflict, and this is not the US’s war.”