Fierce battles continue between Yemeni government forces and the Houthis in several areas of Taiz Governorate, southwest of Yemen, amid a military escalation that resulted in the killing of at least 80 people during the past 24 hours, according to military sources from both sides.
The confrontations are concentrated on several fronts in the governorate's countryside, especially in the areas overlooking the western coast, which the Iranian-backed Houthis took control of more than two weeks ago. According to experts and observers, the Houthis are seeking to isolate the city of Taiz, which is still under the control of government forces supported by Saudi Arabia, at a time when they are imposing their control on several areas in its vicinity.
In a development that makes the movement of troops and civilians more difficult, military sources in the Yemeni government told Agence France-Presse that the Houthis blew up a small bridge on Thursday on the only road linking Taiz to Aden, where the temporary headquarters of the Yemeni government is located, which led to the cessation of traffic and transportation on this vital road.
Taiz is the third largest city in Yemen in terms of population, and government forces are holed up there, while the Houthis control several surrounding areas. Houthi military sources reported that 55 of the group's fighters were killed during the past 24 hours in the governorate's battles, while military sources in the Yemeni government announced the killing of 26 soldiers from its forces.
In conjunction with the ground battles, the government news agency “Saba” reported a series of air strikes, which it said targeted Houthi movements, reinforcements, vehicles, and gatherings in Taiz. On the other hand, the Houthi-run Saba Agency reported that Saudi Arabia carried out air strikes last night targeting Sanaa and the governorates of Saada, Taiz and Amran.
The Houthis and Saudi Arabia are exchanging accusations of military escalation, as the Houthis repeatedly accuse Riyadh of bombing areas under their control in Yemen, while targeting Saudi areas with missiles and drones. The Saudi-led military coalition announced on Thursday the interception and destruction of two ballistic missiles and drones launched by the Houthis towards the cities of Khamis Mushait and Jazan in the south of the kingdom.
The escalation in Taiz comes after the collapse of a truce concluded in 2022 between the Houthis and the Yemeni government in July, after the Houthis accused Riyadh of bombing Sanaa Airport to prevent an Iranian plane from landing there. The Houthis announced the imposition of a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, in response to the air blockade imposed by the coalition supporting the Yemeni government led by Riyadh, before they resumed targeting Saudi tankers and oil facilities.
During the past weeks, the Houthis expanded their control over several areas at the expense of the internationally recognized Yemeni government, to include the entire western coast overlooking the Red Sea, including the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait region. The Strait has gained increasing importance for Saudi Arabia to export its oil, in light of Iran’s restriction of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
