The news site "Arab News" reports this morning: AL-MUKALLA: Yemeni civilians have been warned to avoid roads leading to the northern city of Haradh, a day after the Yemeni army launched an offensive to oust Houthi forces from the area.

The Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen is backing the Yemeni army’s efforts to liberate the strategic city from the Iran-backed Houthi militia.

Starting at 3 a.m. on Saturday, the coalition threatened to target vehicles on roads to Haradh and said the area is an operation site where Yemeni government troops are pushing to seize control of the city. 

A coalition spokesperson was quoted by the Saudi Press Agency as saying that areas around Haradh are “within the area of operations and are being monitored round the clock, and any movements on these roads will be targeted.”

The coalition’s warning came as Yemeni army troops, backed by coalition air support, almost besieged Haradh after forcing militia fighters to abandon strategic locations east of the city. 

Brig. Gen. Abdu Abdullah Majili, a Yemeni army spokesperson, told Arab News on Saturday that government troops had seized a military base and land east of Haradh.

Troops called on Houthis who control the city’s downtown area to surrender. 

“The national army liberated Al-Mehsam military base and the international road that links Hajjah with Hodeidah, and is now pushing toward the city’s downtown,” Majili said.