How significant are the Yemeni government’s military gains against the Houthis?

Yemen’s internationally recognised government says its forces have made significant gains against the Houthis as fighting has escalated in recent weeks, raising fears of a return to full-scale war.The government forces on Saturday said they had recaptured strategically located territory in Hodeidah province under Houthi control and advanced in western Taiz.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Yemen’s divided education system leaves students’ futures in limbolist 2 of 3Houthi fighters clash with Yemeni government forces in country’s southwestlist 3 of 3In Yemen, dates provide lifeline for farmers with few economic optionsend of listHowever, the latest gains do not yet amount to a decisive shift in Yemen’s long-running war.The Iran-aligned Houthis still control the capital, Sanaa, and several other cities, and have themselves recently advanced around Taiz as they seek to threaten the government-held port of al-Makha (Mocha) and move towards areas bordering the strategically vital Bab al-Mandeb strait, the chokepoint that connects the Red Sea to the Arabian Sea.The fighting comes amid a wider regional conflict involving Saudi Arabia, which is a key backer of the Yemeni govern...