Yemen sees clashes in Taiz, airstrikes in Saada, Hudaydah amid diplomatic push against Houthis

Several fronts in Yemen saw military developments Thursday, including clashes in Taiz and airstrikes in Hudaydah and Saada, as the Yemeni government stepped up diplomatic efforts over Houthi escalation and its repercussions for national and regional security and freedom of international navigation.

The developments came as fighting continued across several Yemeni fronts amid mutual escalation between government forces and the Houthi group, extending to areas near the Red Sea and vital maritime routes.

Yemeni government forces said they downed a drone Thursday over Jabal Habashi district southwest of Taiz while thwarting a Houthi infiltration attempt targeting security positions around a vital road that serves as the only field route linking Taiz city with the southern provinces of Lahj and Aden.

Al-Bayda in central Yemen, Al-Jawf in the north and Al-Dhalea in the south also witnessed varying levels of clashes and movements along front lines.

Other government-held areas, including Aden, Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra in the east, as well as Shabwa and Abyan in the south, have remained relatively calm since the latest fighting began.

Fighting in Yemen, which escalated again in July, has significantly altered the map of territorial control.

The Houthis expanded their control along the western coast in September, taking the city of Mokha and other areas near Bab el-Mandeb, including Mayyun Island and Dhubab.

Their control of strategic positions along the Red Sea coast and around Bab el-Mandeb has significantly changed the course of fighting and the territorial map.

The military escalation has also worsened the humanitarian situation.

The government-run Executive Unit for Internally Displaced Persons Camps said Tuesday that the number of registered displaced people across 10 provinces had risen above 169,000, representing 25,116 families, according to an updated report covering developments through Sept. 21.

TAIZ CLASHES

Yemeni Armed Forces spokesman Majid al-Nuzaili said Thursday that army forces "targeted elements of the terrorist Houthi militia in Mokha and Taiz," without providing details on the results of the attacks, according to state-run Saba news agency.

In the same province, al-Nuzaili said the army secured the Wadi Al-Maqatra area on the Haifan front and the vital Hayjat Al-Abd road linking Aden, Lahj and Taiz for civilians and travelers after "breaking failed infiltration attempts" by the Houthis.

"Our forces confronted the attacking elements and engaged them in clashes that thwarted the infiltration attempts, forced them to retreat and inflicted losses in personnel and equipment," he said.

Air defenses also downed a Houthi "suicide drone" while it was flying over Jabal Habashi district west of Taiz province.

Local sources said the mountainous Haifan front witnessed intense clashes aimed at preventing the Houthis from disrupting supply routes toward Taiz and tightening the siege on the city.

Observers view the developments as reflecting a Houthi effort to secure a deeper foothold along the western coast while simultaneously pressuring Taiz from several directions, as government forces continue deploying reinforcements and maintaining military readiness along the front lines.

AIRSTRIKES IN SAADA, HUDAYDAH

"Saudi aircraft launched five airstrikes Thursday on Kamaran Island in the western province of Hudaydah," Houthi-run Saba news agency said.

It also reported four strikes on the Qatabir and Marran districts in northern Saada province.

Citing an unnamed local source, the agency said one strike targeted the telecommunications network in the center of Qatabir district, while aircraft launched three strikes on Marran district.

HOUTHI ATTACKS

Outside Yemen, the Houthis said Thursday they targeted military sites in the Jazan region of southwestern Saudi Arabia with ballistic missiles and drones.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said in a statement that the group launched what he called a "preemptive military operation" in Jazan.

"The attacks targeted operations, command and control rooms, weapons depots and other sites in Al-Tuwal in Jazan, as well as positions and missile launch platforms at Al-Daghareer camp and other military camps in the area," he claimed.

Saree also claimed the attacks killed and injured "hundreds of Yemeni military reinforcements," as well as "dozens of Saudi personnel and officers," and destroyed or set fire to weapons depots.

The Houthi statement came shortly after Turki al-Maliki, spokesman for the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen, said the coalition intercepted and destroyed six ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis, thwarting an attempt to target the western Saudi cities of Taif and Yanbu.

"Escalation and violations by the terrorist Houthi militia will be dealt with firmly," al-Maliki said in posts on US social media platform X.

Saudi Civil Defense said earlier Thursday that the threat had ended in Mecca, Taif, Tabuk, Yanbu and Jeddah after warning alerts were issued in those areas.