al-Jawf Offensive

Overview

The Al Jawf offensive was a Houthi offensive that began in February 2020 with clashes in the Al Jawf Governorate during the Second Yemeni Civil War. Houthi forces were able to decisively capture the town of Al Hazm on 1 March 2020 from the Hadi government. On 27 April, the first phase of the offensive ended with the Houthis capturing 3,500 square kilometers of territory in Al Jawf Governorate. After reinforcing, the Houthis launched the second phase of their offensive on 27 May, making further advances toward the city of Marib and capturing the Maas military base on 20 November 2020. The Houthis halted the offensive on 5 February 2021, in order to account for changes in the Saudi-led coalition and Southern Transitional Council. After reinforcing once more, the Houthis launched a new offensive towards Marib city on 7 February.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The al-Jawf Offensive marked a significant Houthi territorial advance during the Second Yemeni Civil War, resulting in the capture of Al Hazm from the Hadi government on 1 March 2020 and the seizure of approximately 3,500 square kilometers of Al Jawf Governorate by 27 April. The offensive unfolded in two phases: the first consolidating Houthi control over the governorate, and the second, launched on 27 May, pushing toward the strategically important city of Marib. The capture of the Maas military base on 20 November 2020 extended Houthi reach and set conditions for a subsequent offensive against Marib city launched in February 2021. The Houthis' deliberate pauses to reinforce and adapt to shifting coalition dynamics — including changes in the Saudi-led coalition and the Southern Transitional Council — demonstrated an ability to calibrate operational tempo to the broader political and military environment. The offensive represented one of the more consequential Houthi territorial gains of the war, bringing pressure on Marib, the Hadi government's last major northern stronghold.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (1)