Fierce Clashes Erupt Between Houthi Fighters and Yemeni Government Forces in Southwest

Yemeni government forces are engaged in intense battles with Houthi fighters across multiple fronts west of Taiz province, as the Iran-backed group initiates a major offensive along the western Red Sea coast. In a worrying sign that a return to full-scale war in Yemen may be near, Houthi fighters launched an advance on Thursday to reach and cut the vital road connecting Taiz to al-Makha (Mocha), attempting to sever Taiz city from the coast.

Al Jazeera’s Yousef Mawry, reporting from the Yemeni capital Sanaa, stated that seizing control of the port city of al-Makha would cut off government forces from a crucial supply route while giving the Houthis a strategic foothold in the Red Sea, an essential maritime corridor for oil exports and international trade.

"In order to do that, they must drive out Yemeni government forces," Mawry said. "But we have reports from Yemeni government officials that they have regained control of some of the areas that fell under Houthi control."

The Yemen’s Army Media Centre reported that the Houthis fired 14 ballistic missiles and deployed drones targeting populated districts in Taiz and Hodeidah provinces. The group launched an assault on army positions within the Maqbanah Mountains, located west of Taiz province, while attempting incursions into al-Ahtoub, al-Tuwair, al-Kadha, and Jabal Ghabari.

According to the media centre, over 18 Houthi fighters were killed, with others wounded or captured, during Thursday's clashes in the southwestern region. Meanwhile, an unnamed military source informed the AFP news agency that 13 government personnel also lost their lives in the fighting, with most casualties occurring along the front lines between al-Makha and Taiz, as well as near the Red Sea coast.

A field officer stationed in al-Makha, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, described his men as "fighting fiercely to repel the massive Houthi offensive." He added, "We also thwarted an attack with two booby-trapped boats that exploded near the port."

The Yemen News Agency, Saba, reported that the army successfully shot down three Houthi drones over the Jabal Habashi district in Taiz governorate and remained locked in fierce battles with Houthi fighters along the al-Barah front, situated west of Taiz city.

Fighting across Yemen has escalated in recent weeks, marked by renewed exchanges of fire and drone strikes along nearly dormant front lines. The country has suffered through a devastating conflict since Houthi forces seized the capital Sanaa in 2014, which triggered a Saudi-led military intervention the following year.

Although the Houthis and the internationally recognised government established a truce in 2022 that had largely held, momentum toward a lasting peace agreement stalled in 2023 following the outbreak of Israel's war on Gaza and a broader regional escalation.

Al Jazeera’s Mawry noted that the Houthis' ability to breach government territory and hold it for several hours highlights the fracturing of recent ceasefire and negotiation efforts. "Both sides are now scrabbling to gain territory and gain control not just on land, but at sea," he reported, noting recent Houthi attacks on government-affiliated Saudi oil tankers. "We’ll have to wait and see whether government forces can maintain control," Mawry concluded, emphasizing the army's need to halt the Houthis' ongoing advancement.