Yemeni government forces clashed with Houthi fighters across Taiz on Saturday, breaking a militant assault on Jabel Han as military officials reported widespread aerial and artillery strikes aimed at crippling insurgent supply lines and combat capabilities amid worsening humanitarian conditions.
Government Forces Repel Houthi Offensive Across Western Taiz
Yemeni government forces, backed by popular resistance fighters, pushed back a wave of intensive Houthi attacks targeting strategic positions along the western front of Taiz. The heavy combat lasted for hours across Jabel Han, Hadhiran, Madarat, the Old Airport, and Al-Sayahi, forcing the attacking forces to retreat after facing fierce defensive resistance.
Military field sources reported that government troops successfully dismantled infiltration attempts aimed at destabilizing liberated areas. The intense fighting also spread to Al-Kadha, Jabal Habashi, and Sameh, where regional military officials confirmed the death of the Houthi assault commander during the failed push against government positions on Jabel Han.
On Saturday, Yemeni government forces closed the al-Houban crossing, a key road linking Houthi-controlled al-Houban with the government-held city of Taiz. Military spokespersons noted that the crossing had previously remained closed for nine years before reopening to civilians in 2024 for humanitarian reasons. Government forces stated that the closure aimed to prevent insurgent forces from advancing toward strategic highland positions and roads surrounding Taiz.
Intensive Airstrikes and Artillery Target Insurgent Supply Lines
The ground battles coincided with a heavy escalation in aerial and artillery bombardments.
Military reports from the ground detailed a massive volume of defensive firepower deployed to blunt the offensive. Government forces executed 257 precision targeting operations over a 24-hour window, which field reports credited with neutralizing hundreds of combatants and disabling numerous military vehicles.
Wider military operations extended beyond the immediate frontlines. According to field reports, government forces carried out targeted air operations against ballistic missile launch sites in Sanaa alongside military gatherings in Saada province, forming part of a broader strategy to degrade insurgent offensive potential.
Strategic Stakes and United Nations Warnings Over Civilian Safety
Control over Taiz holds major strategic importance for both sides.
United Nations Special Envoy Hans Grundberg voiced deep concern over the flare-up. In a statement issued on Thursday, he urged the Houthi movement to halt its offensive, noting that Taiz is Yemen’s third-largest city and currently shelters a high concentration of newly displaced families fleeing violence elsewhere.
Data from Yemen’s Executive Unit for Internally Displaced Persons Camps Management showed that at least 198,000 people had been displaced amid renewed hostilities by September. Among the affected regions, Taiz topped the list of provinces hosting displaced persons, absorbing 13,925 families comprising 97,529 people distributed across 15 districts.
Deteriorating Food Security Amid Ongoing Conflict
The renewed hostilities have accelerated an already severe humanitarian crisis across the region. The World Food Programme reported that ongoing combat has driven the share of families unable to meet basic nutritional requirements up to 74% in government-held areas accessible to the organization.
Matthew Hollingworth, the program’s assistant executive director for operations, warned that hunger will deepen as fighting persists. Frontline blockades and active combat zones continue to obstruct humanitarian delivery teams attempting to reach vulnerable populations inside contested urban pockets.
