Yemeni government forces launched intensified military operations against the Houthi group on Saturday, employing air raids, drone strikes, and artillery fire across Marib, al-Jawf, and Taiz. The offensive came after the Houthis expanded control of the west coast, specifically around Mokha and areas overlooking the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
Government strikes concentrated on Houthi positions in Mokha and the Dhubab district, which overlooks the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. Field sources reported that jets targeted Houthi areas near Mokha port, its airport, and Jabal al-Nar. Staff Colonel Majid al-Nuzaili, spokesman for the armed forces, issued a public warning urging civilians to avoid the Taiz-Mokha and Mokha-Dhubab roads during operations. Al-Nuzaili confirmed that attacks near Mokha port killed several Houthi fighters and destroyed their vehicles and weapons.
Concurrently, government forces adjusted their deployment in southern Mokha as battles moved eastward from Bab al-Mandeb toward the Lahj province border. Military sources indicated that the Giants Brigades repelled a Houthi advance in the al-Madaribah district within Lahj.
In Marib, located east of the capital Sanaa, government forces conducted air strikes and fired artillery against Houthi targets across southern, western, and northern fronts. Field sources observed the Houthis bringing in dozens of military vehicles and fighters from Sanaa, suggesting the fighting is expected to continue and expand. Marib has served as a critical military stronghold for the government throughout the years-long conflict.
Further north in al-Jawf, government forces used air raids and artillery to attack Houthi locations east of al-Hazm city. The government has maintained a siege against Houthi militants inside the al-Labanat camp for the sixth consecutive day.
In Taiz, field sources identified Houthi mobilization efforts in the Sameh district and within the cities of al-Dimnat and Rahida, suggesting potential offensive or defensive adjustments in the southwestern province.
The intensified conflict has prompted displacement. Djibouti's minister of economy and finance said Saturday that approximately 1,400 people have fled Yemen for Djibouti due to the fighting.
The Houthis control a significant portion of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa and the western port city of Hodeida.
