Yemeni troops recapture ground in Taiz; Houthis report strikes on Saudi airbase
Yemeni government forces regained positions in western Taiz after repelling a Houthi offensive, with air support targeting Houthi gatherings. The Houthis claimed they launched dozens of ballistic missiles and drones at a Saudi military base, though Saudi Arabia did not immediately confirm. The renewed fighting, which began in July, threatens a UN-brokered truce that had held since 2022.
Government forces in Taiz regained ground after repelling a Houthi offensive, with air support striking Houthi positions near Mocha and Dhubab. The Houthis claimed a missile and drone barrage on King Khalid airbase in Saudi Arabia, citing over 300 Saudi air strikes in five days; Riyadh has not confirmed.
The July escalation broke a 2022 UN truce. Houthis seized Red Sea islands (Greater and Lesser Hanish) and coastal areas, threatening the Bab al-Mandeb strait, a vital trade route. The conflict has displaced nearly 86,000 people, with over 2,000 fleeing to Djibouti, while the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked by Iran.
The renewed fighting could unravel the fragile UN truce, deepening Yemen's humanitarian crisis as nearly 86,000 people have already been displaced. Regional spillover may escalate, with Houthi attacks on Saudi infrastructure potentially disrupting oil exports and global trade through the Bab al-Mandeb. The blockade of both straits could raise energy prices and strain economies reliant on these waterways. Civilians in Yemen and neighboring countries like Djibouti may face increased instability and refugee flows. The conflict's expansion could also draw in more regional powers, affecting security across the Middle East.