Yemeni Government Forces Repel Houthi Assaults in Taiz Amid Escalating Conflict

Yemen’s government-aligned forces announced on Thursday that they successfully repelled coordinated Houthi attacks across multiple fronts in the southwestern governorate of Taiz, as intense fighting persists throughout the country. Colonel Majid al-Nuzaili, spokesman for the Saudi Arabia-backed government forces, stated that the Iran-aligned Houthis launched the offensive on Wednesday night to capture positions along a vital roadway connecting the Aden, Lahj, and Taiz governorates. According to al-Nuzaili, government defenders repelled the push, resulting in dozens of Houthi casualties. The Houthis did not immediately issue a statement regarding the government's claims.

This surge in violence unfolds against a backdrop of rising regional tensions driven by the conflict involving the United States and Iran. The Houthis, who captured the capital city of Sanaa in 2014, continue battling government forces for dominance over the strategic highlands in southwestern Yemen, including the Kahboub Mountains located within the Taiz and Lahj governorates. Earlier this month, the group secured control over Mocha, a vital port city, and the nearby Red Sea coast.

Securing the Kahboub Mountains—which overlook the critical Bab al-Mandeb strait and Mayyun Island in the Red Sea—would enable the Houthis to isolate the remaining government-controlled south from the coastline. On Tuesday, government-aligned forces reported successfully thwarting Houthi advances in the mountains, securing full control of Mount Qarfan, an elevation that overlooks the valleys connecting southern Taiz to the western coast.

Conversely, the Houthis reported on Wednesday that Saudi forces executed 52 airstrikes and missile attacks targeting the Hodeidah, Taiz, al-Bayda, Marib, and Saada governorates, resulting in numerous casualties, including women and children. The group claimed Saudi forces have launched 988 attacks since the current escalation began, though exact death tolls were not provided. Saudi Arabia has not responded to these allegations.

In recent weeks, the Houthis have launched numerous missiles and drones toward Saudi Arabia, which included a strike targeting the capital city of Riyadh on Saturday. Consequently, Saudi Civil Defence authorities issued warnings on Wednesday regarding potential attacks in Jazan and Najran, two provinces sharing a border with Yemen, though no further specifics were released.

Ahmed el Shalfi, Al Jazeera’s Yemen affairs editor, noted that the conflict is likely to persist. He explained that the Houthis remain resolved to maintain their strategic gains along the western coast in Mocha and Bab al-Mandab, while government forces are equally determined to dislodge them or secure the highland positions necessary to maintain fire control over the region. As a result, the ongoing back-and-forth warfare is expected to endure and potentially lead to a war of attrition.

Meanwhile, humanitarian organizations report a rapidly worsening crisis in Yemen. The World Health Organization stated this week that 674 individuals have been killed and nearly 3,000 wounded since August 6, which includes 164 deaths and 516 injuries recorded between September 13 and 18. Additionally, data from Yemen’s Executive Unit for the Management of Displaced Persons Camps indicates that over 158,000 people have been displaced.