al-Jawf Offensive

Battle context

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.