The Saudis and their coalition partners are making lots of headway in taking the country back from from the Iranian-backed Shiite Houthi rebels and the the forces loyal to former President Hadi.
The Saudis have been far outgunning the rebels, with heavy armor, artillery and air superiority. They have expanded from almost losing the last toehold of the official Government in the Port of Aden earlier this year, to securing a swath of the country from the Port of Aden all the way up to the Saudi Border, cutting the country in half, East and West.
In the Rebel conquered West, the Saudi coalition is engaging the rebels along most of the coastal areas, to cut off resupply from the sea. It has been a pretty steady trend of Saudi airstrikes, Saudi advances, and Saudi buildup of combat power. The civilian population is of course taking a beating in the crossfire, with food supply disruptions and internally displaced people on the move. The UN has begun to call it a humanitarian “catastrophe”.
As the Saudi forces advance, their is a vacuum of governance, which al quaeda is moving into, from their strongholds in the sparsely populated Eastern part of the country. Hundreds have reportedly moved into Aden. The head of security in Aden was assassinated today, in al quaeda style, by hitman on motorcycle.
There is no big seasonal variation in rainfall or temperature which would significantly impede operations toward the Capital City of Sanaa. If anything, conditions are better Sep-Jan. It looks like a buildup of firepower, casualties and destruction is in store for Yemen, as the Saudi Coalition sweeps areas toward the Capital.
Interesting!