Al-Bayda is one of the strategic provinces that both sides of the conflict are keen to win
The Yemeni government forces recently launched the “Thunderbolt Star” operation to liberate Al-Bayda from the Houthis who have controlled it since the end of 2014.
The ongoing battles are the fiercest in the province in years

In early July, the Yemeni government forces announced the launch of a military operation in the name of “Al-Najm Al-Thaqib” to liberate Al-Bayda Governorate in the center of the country from the grip of the Houthis, who have controlled most of it since 2014.

The announcement of this military operation came in a sudden manner that led to a kind of confusion among the Iranian-backed Houthis, who had retreated on the ground in a number of areas during the past few days due to the attacks of government forces.

On July 5, government forces announced that they had taken control of the entire district of Al-Zahir and had advanced towards the city of Al-Bayda, the center of the governorate with the same name, in addition to controlling most of the Al-Soma district near Al-Zahir.

Three days later, the Houthi group launched a violent attack from several axes on the center of the Al-Zahir district, and was able to advance to the city center, declaring in an official statement its control.

The ongoing battles are the most violent in the province in years, as Al-Bayda witnessed intermittent confrontations between the two sides during the last period.

** A struggle over the “Heart of Yemen”

Al-Bayda Governorate is one of the strategic governorates that both sides of the conflict are keen to win, due to its many advantages.

The governorate, which consists of 20 districts, is described as the heart of Yemen, as it mediates between the north and south of the country.

The governorate is adjacent to four southern governorates: Abyan, Lahj, Al Dhale’e and Shabwa, in addition to four northern governorates: Ma’rib, Ibb, Dhamar and Sana’a.

Because of its strategic location, the Houthis were keen to extend their influence in Al-Bayda, which was the starting point for their military operations, whether in the north or south of the country.

To this day, the Houthi group is still in control of most of the districts in Al-Bayda, while government forces control the districts of Numan, Nati’, Masoura and large parts of the districts of Al-Zahir and Al-Soma’a, in addition to areas in the district of Dhi Naam.

** Crossing point to Sana’a

Al-Bayda governorate is very important as it also serves as a transit point to the capital, Sanaa, which is under the control of the Houthis, despite the distance, as the governorate is linked to a border with the countryside of Sanaa.

In the event that government forces control al-Bayda, they will have secured four provinces liberated from the Houthis in the south of the country, while four other provinces will be under the control of the group, within the Yemeni army’s reach.

The governorate is characterized by not having a popular incubator for the Houthis belonging to the Shiite sect, as the vast majority of the residents of al-Bayda belong to the Sunni sect, while the Salafist movement is prominent in the governorate, in addition to an active presence of the Yemeni Congregation for Islamic Reform Party.

** Fears of the presence of al-Qaeda

In this province, there is still a limited presence of elements of the terrorist “Al-Qaeda” organization, and they launch from time to time attacks against the Houthis.

And the US drones had previously launched air raids on supposed sites of “Al-Qaeda” in Al-Bayda Governorate.

Perhaps the most prominent operation of the American forces during the past years in Al-Bayda was in the beginning of 2017, an air landing of a force of “Marines” that fought in the town of Qaifa in the governorate.

The US Department of Defense (Pentagon) announced at the time that one soldier was killed and three others were wounded in those confrontations, compared to the killing of 14 al-Qaeda militants.

According to al-Qaeda’s account, four American “Apache” planes bombed three houses in the town of Qaifah with 16 missiles, killing 30 people, including women and children, according to a statement by the terrorist organization published at the time.

And fears have persisted to this day about the expansion of “Al-Qaeda” activity in Al-Bayda, as the Yemeni government accuses the Houthis of collaborating with the organization militarily, while the Houthis accuse the government of the same, and say that members of the terrorist organization “ISIS” are also there on the side of the other party, which denies the matter. .

** The future of the battle of Al-Bayda

Although the government forces stress that they are fully engaged in the battle to retake al-Bayda, there are obstacles to achieving this, most notably the weak military armament in the face of the Houthis, who own a large military arsenal, according to observers.

There are also those who believe, according to observers of the Yemeni affairs, that the Arab coalition did not realistically announce its support for the battle to liberate al-Bayda. Therefore, he did not support the government forces with qualitative weapons, in addition to not intensifying air raids on Houthi sites during the confrontations, which may hinder the issue of the rapid progress and liberation of the governorate.

The government forces in Al-Bayda complain about the weakness of armament and the absence of quality weapons through which the military decision is taken.

On July 9, the Secretary-General of the Salafi Rashad Party, Abdul Wahab Al-Humayqani, said in an audio recording that “the government forces in the Al-Zaher front were forced to withdraw to their previous positions, after being subjected to a Houthi attack with various weapons from four directions and a density of fire and people until they were completely exhausted.” stockpiles of ammunition and missiles.

Al-Humayqani belongs to the Al-Zaher district, and is considered one of the most prominent anti-Houthi tribal leaders in Al-Bayda, and his close associates participate in the fight against the group in the governorate.

For nearly 7 years, Yemen has been witnessing a war that has killed 233,000 people, and 80 percent of the population, numbering about 30 million, has become dependent on aid to survive, in the worst humanitarian crisis in the world, according to the United Nations.

The conflict is further complicated by the fact that it has regional extensions. Since March 2015, an Arab coalition led by the Saudi neighbor has carried out military operations in support of the government forces, in the face of the Iranian-backed Houthis, who control several governorates, including the capital, Sanaa.