Over 180 killed in western Yemen as Houthi forces push toward Bab al-Mandeb

Escalating clashes in southwestern Yemen

Intense ground combat between Houthi rebels and Yemeni government forces killed nearly 180 people across southwestern Yemen between Thursday, September 3, and Saturday, September 5. On Saturday alone, clashes claimed more than 60 lives during several hours of fighting in the Taiz and Hodeidah governorates. Medical and military officials confirmed that 26 government soldiers and 31 Houthi fighters died in those engagements. Civilian casualties mounted when a missile strike struck a bus in Taiz, leaving six civilians dead and seven injured. State-run news agency Saba reported that a separate strike on the Heijah al-Abd road south of Taiz killed at least four civilians and injured nine others.

Battle for high ground around Taiz

Yemeni government warplanes conducted at least 15 air strikes on Friday against Houthi troop concentrations, vehicles, and positions in western Taiz and southern Hodeidah. Government army officer Col. Abdul Basit al-Baher stated that the rebel movement concentrated its offensive in western Taiz to open a corridor toward the coast. Troops from the government 4th Hazm Brigade retook several heights on the Haifan front, including al-Wathra, Saeed Taha, Dhiban, al-Khadira, and al-Najdain, which overlook the al-Khazja market and sever rebel supply routes. Government forces also recaptured the al-Khazan and al-Makahna hills west of Taiz, while additional military units moved from Aden to support the defensive lines. Al Jazeera correspondent Yousef Mawry reported on the tactical balance from Sanaa.

In western Taiz, they've managed to take over a strategic military base, which is located on top of a strategic mountain and gives the Houthis an overview of the entire area.

Strategic drive toward Bab al-Mandeb

The renewed offensive aims to establish Houthi control over elevated terrain and coastal corridors along the Red Sea. Capturing territory in western Taiz and southern Hodeidah allows rebel units to threaten the port city of Mokha, located less than 50 miles from the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. Government forces and the Saudi-led coalition had previously expelled the Houthis from Mokha in 2017. The strait represents a vital maritime bottleneck that accommodates roughly 10% of global seaborne trade and connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. Yousef Mawry described the rebel operational goal.

The aim seems to be for the Houthis to push towards Bab al-Mandeb, and gain territory towards the city and Red Sea port city of al-Makha.

Breakdown of the 2022 truce

The fighting follows the collapse of the fragile calm established under the 2022 truce. Relations deteriorated in July 2026 after government forces struck the Sanaa International Airport runway on July 13 to block an incoming Iranian flight. Government aircraft conducted follow-up strikes on July 25 against Houthi drone launch sites and weapons depots in Marib and al-Jawf. The Houthis subsequently declared a Red Sea maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia, which has used the waterway to export oil following disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz since March 2026. Artillery fire and shelling have forced hundreds of families to evacuate homes in both Hodeidah and Mokha.