TAIZ, Yemen — A buzzing drone passed overhead in southwestern Yemen, signaling an imminent attack, according to a soldier accompanying a journalist. Within 10 minutes, loud thuds of strikes followed, though their precise landing locations were not immediately clear.
The journalist traveled with government forces from Taiz through checkpoints to the front line where their control ends and a no man's land begins, with front lines difficult to distinguish.
Fighting around Taiz has intensified since Houthi forces seized the strategic Red Sea port of Mokha on Sept. 10. The port, located 85 kilometers west of Taiz, fell after a four-year ceasefire largely unraveled.
Following the capture of Mokha, Houthi fighters took control of territory overlooking the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a crucial shipping corridor connecting Europe and Asia. The escalation has raised global oil prices due to concerns over potential disruptions to regional supply routes.
Taiz, Yemen's third-largest city and cultural capital, is home to nearly one million people. The city sits at a vital intersection between Houthi-controlled areas in northern Yemen and government-held territories in the south, with front lines surrounding it in multiple directions.
Many homes scattered across the conflict zone stand abandoned, with families having fled the fighting. A resident living about one kilometer from the front line, who gave only his first name as Ali, said two mortars had landed on his property. He sent his children to a displacement camp due to constant shelling and gunfire, while remaining with his wife and sisters to care for their livestock.
Ali said he feared for his safety but had no choice but to stay, emphasizing that without their animals, his family would starve. He requested anonymity, fearing repercussions if Houthi forces advanced into the area.
At a checkpoint closest to the front line, government fighters returning from mountain positions reported that the bodies of 18 government soldiers lay in an area their unit could target with fire but could not physically access to recover. One fighter said the unit shoots over them but cannot pull them out.
Houthi contacts indicate they are consolidating troops and preparing for a major offensive. Government forces confirmed they are aware of these preparations and are also readying for a potential escalation.
