Fighting has intensified significantly in Yemen, with government-affiliated media reporting a surge in hostilities against the Houthis across multiple front lines south of Taiz in the southwestern part of the country.
Clashes and Airstrikes Across Multiple Fronts
Yemen Today TV reported that active fighting was underway on the Al-Aqroudh and Al-Masrakh fronts, as well as in Al-Rahn village located in the Sabir al-Mawadim district. Meanwhile, media outlets affiliated with the Houthis stated that four air strikes struck the city of Mocha and its Red Sea port to the west of Taiz.
Yemeni government forces in Taiz announced that they successfully repelled attacks on Al-Aqroud as part of an effort to break the ongoing Houthi blockade of the area. Majid al-Nazili, a spokesman for the Yemeni government forces, told Al Jazeera that their units executed 749 military operations within a 24-hour period, leading to 239 militant casualties and the destruction of 117 vehicles and armored units.
The conflict further intensified when the Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, advanced toward Jabal Sabr, the strategic mountain overlooking Taiz. The mountain has emerged as the central battleground between the Iran-backed movement and forces loyal to the internationally recognized government of Yemen, which is supported by a Saudi-led coalition.
A military source told Al Jazeera that government forces launched three air strikes targeting Houthi military gatherings and vehicles southeast of Taiz, specifically focusing on positions along the Al-Aqroud front. Simultaneously, the Houthi group reported more than 100 air strikes targeting the capital city of Sanaa and eight other Yemeni governorates over the same 24-hour window.
In a related development, Anadolu news agency reported that flights have resumed at Aden international airport. Operations at the facility were temporarily suspended after a missile impacted Al-Nasr Camp next to the airport, an area housing Yemeni coastguard forces and the interior ministry headquarters.
Humanitarian Crisis and UN Appeals
The escalating violence across multiple regions has severely aggravated an already critical humanitarian emergency inside the country. Data from the United Nations humanitarian agency indicates that the conflict has displaced more than 281,000 individuals from their homes throughout Yemen since early August.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) issued a warning that time is running out to deliver essential supplies to the 800,000 residents trapped inside Taiz. OCHA noted that humanitarian access has deteriorated sharply over the preceding three weeks because damage to a vital road connecting Taiz to southern governorates now forces aid trucks to navigate narrow mountain pathways.
The UN agency urged all combatants to refrain from targeting civilians and relief convoys. OCHA stated that all parties must adhere to international humanitarian law and ensure safe, sustained, and unimpeded humanitarian access for aid delivery.
The latest military escalation follows a sharp intensification of the war after the Houthis captured strategic ground from government forces along the Red Sea coast, triggering a major counteroffensive. Saudi Arabia subsequently escalated its bombing campaign against the group, while Houthi cross-border attacks on Saudi Arabia have caused disruptions to businesses, aviation, and residents in the world’s leading crude oil exporter.
