Yemeni forces report fighter killed on Taiz front lines against Houthis

Yemen's Saudi-backed government announced on Thursday that a fighter was killed on the al-Ahtoub front lines in the western countryside of Taiz governorate while engaged in combat against the Houthis. This incident follows recent Houthi ballistic missile attacks targeting Yemeni government positions in al-Makha (Mocha) on Wednesday.

Heavy fighting erupted between Yemeni government forces and the Houthis on Monday night on the outskirts of Taiz, marking the latest attempt by the Iran-backed militia to gain territory. According to Abdul Basit Al-Baher, a Yemeni military officer in Taiz, the Houthis heavily shelled government positions on the northern, northeastern, and eastern outskirts of the city to facilitate ground advances. Government forces returned fire, engaging Houthi fighters and inflicting significant losses, with the militia failing to achieve any territorial gains.

The Houthi militia has repeatedly attempted to seize Taiz city, which has been under Yemeni government control for over a decade, but has consistently failed despite years of siege and attacks. The Houthi siege has severely impacted the movement of people and goods into and out of Taiz.

Rashad Al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, vowed that government forces would continue to inflict "painful strikes" on Houthi command-and-control centers and gatherings. He also called for a more aggressive approach towards Iran and its proxies by cutting off their financial resources and curbing weapons smuggling. Al-Alimi emphasized that international forces protecting shipping would not be effective without training Yemen's coast guard to secure the Red Sea and its ports.