Fighting in Yemen has surged as the Yemeni army reports having conducted a significant number of military operations targeting the Iran-backed Houthi movement. Colonel Majed Abdullah al-Nazili, spokesperson for Yemen’s internationally recognized government forces, revealed that over the weekend, the military executed 257 precise strikes aimed at Houthi positions and capabilities across the country.

Operational Details

According to Colonel al-Nazili, the operations utilized a variety of advanced military resources, including:

• Warplanes
• Drones
• Artillery
• Missiles
• Rocket launchers

Initial assessments projected that these strikes resulted in the deaths of approximately 700 Houthi militants. Moreover, significant military assets were destroyed, including 170 combat vehicles and other heavy equipment.

Impact of the Assaults

Colonel al-Nazili emphasized that the strikes have directly impacted the Houthis’ military capabilities, restricting their ability to launch attacks on civilian populations. The operations primarily targeted regions including:

• Sanaa
• Midi
• Baqim
• Al-Jawf
• Marib
• Al-Bayda
• Lahij

The most intense fighting has been reported around Taiz, where military engagements continue to escalate.

Renewed Conflict in Taiz

Taiz has emerged as a crucial battleground in the ongoing conflict. Al Jazeera correspondent Maha Ali, reporting from the city, highlighted heavy fighting on the western outskirts, with continuous artillery fire from the Houthis. Civilians have faced dangers, including tragic incidents such as a recent shelling that resulted in the death of a baby from shrapnel injuries.

Significant advances have also been made by Houthi forces in surrounding mountainous areas, prompting a mass exodus of residents, a situation not seen at such scale in over a decade.

Control of Strategic Locations

Reporting from the government-run Saba news agency confirms that Yemeni forces secured new territory, including the Samaa fort southeast of Taiz, following intense confrontations. The armed forces, with the assistance of local resistance fighters, achieved this after brutal clashes that resulted in numerous casualties among Houthi ranks.

Closure of Key Border Crossing

In response to security risks, the Yemeni government has announced the closure of the al-Houban crossing in Taiz. This crossing, significant for connecting Houthi-held territories with government-controlled areas, was reopened earlier in 2024 for humanitarian purposes but is now deemed unsafe due to military escalations.

Current Situation and Background

The fragile truce between the Yemeni government and the Houthis, established in 2022, collapsed in July. Since then, hostilities have sharply increased, particularly following Houthi advances in western Yemen, including the capture of the port city of Mocha. A humanitarian crisis persists, with hundreds of thousands displaced due to the renewed fighting, which has engulfed Yemen since the Houthis took control of Sanaa in 2014.