Why did the Saudi coalition operation fail in Haradh? Map + Video

The Saudi coalition operation in the north of Hajjah province began on February 4, with the focus on Mansour Hadi and Sudanese forces and the support of the Saudi army, with the aim of taking control of the town of Haradh. In the first step of the operation, the Saudi coalition managed to completely encircle the town of Haradh, but the resistance and the adoption of appropriate tactics by Ansar Allah prevented the Saudi coalition from infiltrating the town and ultimately broke the siege of Haradh. With the completion of the liberation of the heights and villages east of Haradh by Ansar Allah, it can be said that the Saudi coalition operation to capture Haradh has completely failed.

According to ISWNEWS analysis, Ansar Allah destroyed a CH-4 drone during the operation and carried out four missile and drone attacks on Saudi coalition positions and gatherings, the details of which are as follows:

1- Attack with three missiles on positions and gatherings of the Saudi coalition at the Tawwal crossing and the Ahem triangle. By these attacks, more than 20 members of the Saudi coalition, including Maj. Gen. Majid al-Riyadi, the financial director of the Fifth Military Zone, and Brig. Gen. Yahya Heikal al-Samini, one of the commanders of Mansour Hadi forces were killed. Date: February 5.
2- Ansar Allah drone attack on the gatherings of the Saudi coalition forces in the south and west of Haradh town. Date: February 7.
3- Attack with two missiles on positions of the Saudi coalition in the towns of Midi and Hayran located in the north of Hajjah province. Date: February 7.
4- Ansar Allah drone attack on Abha Airport. The Saudi coalition claims 12 people were injured in the attack. Date: February 10.

The Saudi coalition has used at least 6,000 ground troops in the operation, including the 1st Brigade, al-Asifa (Storm) Brigade, Armored Battalions, Special Forces and Cavalry Forces under the command of Mansour Hadi army. Several battalions of the Sudanese and Saudi armies have also provided support to operations and battles in al-Tawwal area, the number of which is unknown.
Saudi coalition warplanes also bombed the northern fronts of Hajjah province 115 times during this period, which seems very heavy due to the small size of the area.

In general, the reasons for the failure of the Saudi coalition operation in Haradh can be summarized as follows:

1- Ansar Allah’s appropriate tactics and resistance in the urban war. Ansar Allah easily thwarted coalition ground attacks by building embankments, ditches, and setting up traps, etc.
2- The superiority of the engineering unit and Ansar Allah snipers in ground conflicts.
3- Ansar Allah precise missile and drone attacks on the gatherings and positions of the Saudi coalition in the suburbs of Haradh.
4- The general weakness of the Saudi coalition in carrying out military operations against Ansar Allah.

It should be noted that this operation was the second serious attempt by the Saudi coalition to capture the town of Haradh. Prior to the operation, the Saudi coalition had completely besieged Haradh town in December 2018, but the siege was broke by Ansar Allah’s attacks from the eastern flank and the coalition was forced to retreat.

Haradh district has a population of more than 100,000 and is located in the north of Hajjah province and the south of Saudi Arabia’s Jizan province. The center of this district, the town of Haardh has been under a quasi-siege since April 2018 and is currently uninhabited by civilians. After the battles of the city of Aden, the battle of Haradh can be considered the second urban warfare in Yemen; with the difference that Ansar Allah succeeded in defeating the coalition in the battle of Haradh.

Read more:
Ansar Allah Advances Continuing in Hajjah Province and Haradh Siege Ends (12 Feb 2019)
Latest Updates on Hajjah Fronts, 14 February 2022 (Map Update)