Yemeni government forces have halted Houthi advances across mountainous frontlines following last month’s Red Sea coast reversals, while military officials reported executing hundreds of precision airstrikes and ground operations that killed at least 700 rebels.
Frontlines Hold in Taiz and Lahj After Red Sea Losses
Yemeni government forces have successfully stabilized frontlines across the Taiz governorate and the Kahboub Mountains overlooking the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, halting an intense Houthi offensive that seized the country’s Red Sea coast last month. The defensive stand relies on favorable mountain terrain and increased military coordination among anti-Houthi tribes, local forces, and government troops who share years of experience preventing rebel advances in Marib and Lahj. Abdul Basir al-Bahr, a senior official with the internationally recognised government army’s Taiz Military Axis, noted that efforts include bringing reserve personnel back into the military’s ranks.
Despite Rashad al-Alimi calling for a general mobilisation on September 25 as head of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, field commanders report that the mobilization has not yet delivered frontline reinforcements.
Military Spokesman Reports Hundreds of Strikes and Heavy Casualties
Government military operations escalated sharply as Colonel Majed Abdullah al-Nazili announced that the armed forces executed 257 precision targeting operations in a single day using warplanes, drones, artillery, missiles, and rocket launchers. The strikes hit locations in Sanaa, Midi, Baqim, al-Jawf, Marib, al-Bayda, and Lahij, with the heaviest volume concentrated around Taiz. Al-Nazili stated that the operations had a direct impact on the militia’s combat capability and limited its ability to continue attacks against civilians in their homes and villages.
These figures follow Friday reports from al-Nazili indicating that nearly 500 military operations killed or wounded 1,540 rebels over a 24-hour period.
Civilians Flee as Clashes Intensify Around Taiz and Samaa Fort
The government-held city of Taiz remains the primary focal point of the renewed conflict, with fierce fighting concentrated on its western outskirts. Residents have faced an exceptionally heavy volume of rebel artillery fire, resulting in civilian casualties including a baby killed by shrapnel in Dhubab.
Following intense clashes in the mountainous Samaa district southeast of the city, Yemeni government forces secured the Samaa fort after violent battles, leaving dozens of Houthi fighters killed or wounded while others fled. The fighting has triggered the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people since the fighting restarted.
Security Concerns Prompt Closure of the Al-Houban Crossing
Army media official Ammar al-Sami’i cited security reasons for the shutdown, pointing to recent Houthi infiltration attempts, surrounding attacks, and ongoing military buildups.
The crossing had remained shut for nine years before reopening to civilians in 2024 for humanitarian reasons. Sami'i noted that the road serves as one of Yemen's most important connections between territory held by the opposing sides, and its closure shows that the fragile truce struck between the government and the Houthis in 2022 collapsed in July this year.