Yemen’s army says recaptured key territory as clashes with Houthis continue

Two days of fighting between government forces and Houthi fighters has left dozens dead on both sides, sources say.Yemen’s army say they have recaptured strategically important territory, as heavy clashes with Houthi rebels continue in the southwest of the country.Yemeni government forces recaptured al-Khazan and al-Makahna hills in Jabal Habashi district west of Taiz city, according to a statement on Friday.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Houthi fighters clash with Yemeni government forces in country’s southwestlist 2 of 3Houthi attacks on Yemen’s Taiz escalate, triggering new displacement wavelist 3 of 3At least 100 killed as Yemen’s Houthis push towards key straitend of listThe clashes between government forces and Houthi fighters continued for the second day in western Taiz and southern Hodeidah, two governorates along the Red Sea coast, after the rebel group launched a broad offensive along front lines on the coast.A Houthi source told Al Jazeera that more than 100 fighters have been killed from both sides since the start of the offensive on Thursday.A Yemeni military official told Al Jazeera that 24 government troops were killed near the west coast, while another military official reported the deaths of 15 others in clashes in Taiz. Medical sources in Houthi-controlled areas reported that at least 42 fighters had been killed.Several civilians were killed and others injured in a ballistic missile attack that hit a restaurant in the coastal city of al-Makha (Mocha), state-run Saba TV reported. Over 120 people were killed in Yemen since the Houthis launched their advance, according to an AFP casualty toll.Battle for the coastThe Houthis aim to control the hills overlooking Bab al-Mandeb and al-Makha before attacking the coast, a Yemeni official in Aden, the internationally recognised government’s base, told the AFP.The Houthis captured territories since Thursday mainly in western Taiz including a strategic military base, a government military official told Al Jazeera.