**Title: Yemeni Forces Claim Success Against Houthi Attacks in Taiz Amid Ongoing Conflict**
**Date: September 24, 2026**
Yemen's government-aligned forces have reported successfully repelling Houthi attacks in the southwestern governorate of Taiz as fighting intensifies in the region. Colonel Majid al-Nuzaili, a spokesperson for the Saudi Arabia-backed forces, announced on Thursday that the Iran-aligned Houthis launched coordinated assaults on Wednesday night, aiming to secure positions along a crucial road connecting the governorates of Aden, Lahj, and Taiz.
According to Colonel al-Nuzaili, government forces managed to thwart these attacks, resulting in the deaths and injuries of numerous Houthi fighters. The Houthis have yet to comment on these claims.
The resurgence of hostilities in Taiz is occurring against a backdrop of escalating regional tensions, exacerbated by the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Israel against Iran. The Houthis, who have controlled Yemen's capital, Sanaa, since 2014, are engaged in a fierce struggle with government-aligned forces for dominance over strategic highland areas in southwestern Yemen, particularly the Kahboub Mountains.
This month, the Houthis have made significant territorial gains, including the capture of the port city of Mocha and control over parts of the Red Sea coast. The Kahboub Mountains are particularly vital as they overlook the strategically important Bab al-Mandeb strait and Mayyun Island, which could enable the Houthis to isolate the coastal regions from the southern territories still held by the government.
On Tuesday, government forces claimed to have taken full control of Mount Qarfan, a position that provides oversight of valleys connecting southern Taiz to the western coast. The Houthis, in response, reported that Saudi forces had conducted 52 airstrikes and missile attacks across several governorates, including Hodeidah, Taiz, al-Bayda, Marib, and Saada, resulting in civilian casualties, including among women and children. They also alleged that Saudi forces had launched a total of 988 attacks since the escalation began, although they did not provide specific figures regarding fatalities.
In recent weeks, the Houthis have retaliated by firing missiles and drones at targets within Saudi Arabia, including a notable strike on the capital, Riyadh, on Saturday. Following these developments, Saudi Civil Defence authorities issued alerts for potential attacks in the border provinces of Jazan and Najran, although no further details were provided.
Ahmed el Shalfi, Al Jazeera’s Yemen affairs editor, indicated that the conflict is likely to persist. He noted that the Houthis are intent on maintaining their recent territorial gains along the western coast, while government forces are equally determined to reclaim these areas and defend their highland positions, which are crucial for controlling fire over the coastline. This ongoing struggle suggests a protracted conflict characterized by back-and-forth engagements and potential attrition on both sides.
The humanitarian situation in Yemen continues to deteriorate amid the ongoing violence. The World Health Organization reported that since August 6, at least 674 individuals have been killed and nearly 3,000 injured, with a significant number of casualties occurring between September 13 and 18 alone. Furthermore, more than 158,000 people have been displaced due to the escalating conflict, according to Yemen’s Executive Unit for the Management of Displaced Persons Camps.
As the fighting continues, the humanitarian toll underscores the urgent need for a resolution to the conflict, which has left Yemen in a state of crisis, exacerbating the struggles of its population in the Arab world's poorest nation.