Clashes between Yemeni government troops and Houthi forces have escalated significantly across several governorates, according to military statements and reports. On the al-Maqatirah front in Lahij, eight government soldiers were killed during heavy combat. In Taiz governorate, government forces reported killing 12 Houthi fighters in al-Aqroud following sustained fighting near Taiz city, where Saudi-backed government troops stated they repelled Houthi advances. Additional military engagements occurred at multiple locations including al-Shaqab and al-Wazziyah, where allied forces claimed to destroy a supply vehicle using drone strikes. Government-aligned brigades also reported conducting precision strikes against Houthi positions near the Lahij border.
Military operations have expanded to al-Jawf and Marib, where government and allied Popular Resistance fighters launched offensive operations supported by artillery, drone strikes, and coalition aircraft targeting Houthi military infrastructure. On the air defense front, Houthi military officials claimed their forces downed a Turkish-manufactured reconnaissance drone over Hajjah, marking their fourth such claim during the current escalation. The Houthis also claimed responsibility for downing a Saudi Apache helicopter in Najran province, though Saudi coalition officials attributed the incident to a technical malfunction. Houthi media reported additional Saudi airstrikes targeting Saada governorate.
Maritime security incidents have also been reported, with the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency documenting an attack on a liquefied natural gas tanker off al-Mukalla’s coast by seven armed men in a skiff, who fired upon the vessel before disengaging after warning shots were returned.
The humanitarian toll of the conflict has worsened considerably. The International Organization for Migration reported that more than 233,000 people have been displaced since the fighting intensified, with approximately 121,000 displaced in Taiz governorate alone. The World Health Organization warned that Taiz city has become functionally isolated, with its hospitals severely depleted of fuel, surgical supplies, oxygen, and medicine amid a developing cholera outbreak. The displacement crisis has extended to East Africa, with the UN Refugee Agency confirming over 4,000 refugees have arrived in the region, including 3,800 in Djibouti and approximately 200 in Somalia, where health workers are managing a cholera outbreak at a Djibouti camp that has recorded 31 cases and one fatality.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI