Aden (South24 Center)

Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) announced on Thursday (November 5) that military operations against the Houthis had resulted in the "neutralization" of approximately 20,000 of the group's fighters and commanders, as well as the destruction or disabling of more than 5,000 military vehicles over the past month. The council provided no details that would allow the substantial figures to be independently verified.

In a statement published by the government-run Saba news agency, the PLC said forces loyal to the Yemeni government had carried out 40,761 military targeting operations against the Houthis across various fronts since October 5, arguing that the figures reflected the extent to which the group and its combat capabilities had been depleted.

The statement did not clarify the nature of the targeting operations included in the total or provide a breakdown by front or between aerial and ground operations. It also failed to define what it meant by "neutralization," including whether the term covered those killed, wounded, or captured, and offered no details about the military vehicles it claimed had been destroyed or disabled.

The figures come despite the fact that military operations over the past month have produced no major shifts in territorial control commensurate with the scale of losses claimed by the council. Fighting has continued on several fronts, while the Houthis have made advances in some areas.

The most significant ground offensives against the Houthis were concentrated along the Bab al-Mandeb and Dhubab fronts in western Taiz, where the Southern Giants Brigades, backed by Saudi air support, launched a counteroffensive that recaptured strategic positions, including Dhubab Military Airport and elevated positions around Bab al-Mandeb, according to previous field reports by South24 Center.

Conversely, the Houthis advanced into parts of southern and western Taiz Governorate during October, cutting key supply routes linking the city to Aden. Attacks and clashes also continued along the Lahj and AlDhalea fronts, without either side achieving a decisive military breakthrough.

During the same period, South Yemen witnessed a major escalation in Houthi ballistic missile and drone attacks targeting airports, government facilities, and military positions, resulting in dozens of military and civilian casualties, according to South24 Center reports.

The PLC statement provided no figures for casualties among forces loyal to the Yemeni government or Southern Forces, nor did it address civilian casualties over the past month, focusing exclusively on the losses it claimed the Houthis had suffered.

The statement marked one month since the launch of Operation "Dawn of Yemen" on October 5, which the council said was aimed at ending Houthi control over state institutions and recapturing the capital, Sanaa. It reaffirmed that military operations would continue until those objectives were achieved.

The council praised Saudi Arabia's military, economic, and humanitarian support for the Yemeni government. It also devoted part of its statement to the situation in Taiz, highlighting the continuing Houthi siege and attacks on the city while reiterating its commitment to recapturing areas under the group's control.