The Yemeni army has reported carrying out extensive military operations against Houthi forces, claiming over 1,500 Houthi casualties in the past 24 hours. Government forces have closed a key crossing connecting Houthi-held al-Houban to government-held Taiz city. Colonel Majed Abdullah al-Nazili, spokesperson for Yemen’s internationally recognized government forces, stated on Saturday that the military executed 257 precision targeting operations against Houthi sites and movements. The operations involved the use of warplanes, drones, artillery, missiles, and rocket launchers.
Al-Nazili reported that initial estimates indicate the operations resulted in the deaths of at least 700 Houthi rebels and the destruction of strategic military assets, including 170 combat vehicles and heavy equipment. He did not provide information on casualties among government forces. The strikes were said to have impacted the Houthi militia's combat capability, limiting their ability to attack civilians.
The operations targeted several areas, including Sanaa, Midi, Baqim, and various front lines in al-Jawf, Marib, al-Bayda, and Lahij, with a focus on Taiz. Al-Nazili noted that Yemen’s government forces had conducted nearly 500 military operations on Friday, resulting in the deaths or injuries of 1,540 Houthi rebels.
Al Jazeera’s Maha Ali reported from Taiz that the region is experiencing continued escalation and intense fighting, particularly on the western outskirts of the city. Residents have called for evacuation due to ongoing shelling, which has resulted in civilian casualties, including the death of a baby from shrapnel injuries in Dhubab.
Fierce clashes are ongoing in the mountainous Samaa area, where the Houthis made advances on Friday. Reports indicate that many residents have fled Samaa, marking a significant displacement not seen in over a decade. Following these clashes, Yemeni government forces reportedly took control of the Samaa fort, with heavy fighting resulting in numerous Houthi casualties.
On Saturday, the government announced the closure of the al-Houban crossing in Taiz, which had been reopened for civilian use in 2024 after being closed for nine years. The closure was attributed to security concerns following attempts by the Houthis to infiltrate Taiz and a general military build-up in the area.
A fragile truce between the government and the Houthis collapsed in July, leading to a significant escalation in fighting. Since mid-September, the Houthis have advanced in western Yemen, capturing the port city of Mocha and key islands in the Bab al-Mandeb strait. The front lines have stabilized since then, but hundreds of thousands have been displaced since the resumption of fighting. Yemen has been in civil war since the Houthis seized Sanaa in 2014, forcing the internationally recognized government to retreat to Aden.