Yemen’s army, supported by Arab coalition forces, continued to comb the Hays district south of Hodeidah a day after it was cleared from coup militia presence. Sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Yemeni army forces continued sweeping Hays town. Army forces advanced north amid a complete collapse within militia ranks, sources said. Rapid progress of government forces towards the city and Hodeidah shook Sana’a-based coup leaders, sources added. At least 30 insurgents have been arrested during fought battles, dozens others were killed and injured, according to the sources. Militias blew up the bridge linking Hays to Al Garrahi District, another town in the Hodeidah governorate, attempting to slow down the army, sources added. Clearing Hays of Houthis paves the way to liberating other districts in Hodeidah, securing navigation in the Red Sea and cutting Iran’s supplies to the militias. Since the launch of the military campaign to liberate the west coast in early December 2017, Hays is the second district to be liberated in Hodeidah, after Khokha. The campaign was mainly launched to secure international navigation in the Red Sea and in Bab-el-Mandeb and to cut the last routes used to smuggle Iranian weapons to the Houthis. Meanwhile, the military-led fighting in Taiz (southwest) against the Houthi militias continued as the army took control of important positions west of the governorate center. According to the army’s official website, government forces, backed by the Arab Coalition, have locked down control over a strategic Jabouri hill and the west of Taiz. The Coalition assisted the military assault by air strikes, the Yemen National Army confirmed.