Yemen Claims 1,540 Houthi Casualties in 24 Hours as Fighting Intensifies in Taiz

Fighting has intensified in Yemen’s southwestern Taiz province as government forces battle Iran-aligned Houthi fighters.

Yemen’s internationally recognised government claims that its forces carried out nearly 500 military operations over the past 24 hours, killing or wounding 1,540 Houthi fighters. The figure is a government claim and has not been independently verified.

Yemeni military spokesman Colonel Majed Abdullah al-Nazili said the operations targeted Houthi positions, supply lines, military vehicles and other military capabilities. Warplanes, drones, artillery, missiles and rocket launchers were reportedly used in the attacks.

The government said Taiz recorded the largest number of Houthi casualties. Fighting has intensified across several areas of the province, including Bani Bakr, Maqbanah, Al-Aqroud and approaches to Taiz city.

Key Crossing Closed Amid Security Concerns

As the fighting escalated, Yemen’s government forces also closed the Al-Houban crossing on Saturday.

The important route connects Houthi-controlled Al-Houban with government-held Taiz city. Government officials said the crossing was closed because of concerns over attempted Houthi infiltration, attacks near the road and an increase in military activity in the area.

The crossing had remained closed for around nine years before being reopened to civilians in 2024 for humanitarian reasons.

Fighting Escalates After Truce Breakdown

A UN-brokered truce in Yemen was reached in April 2022 and helped maintain a period of relative calm. However, that situation broke down in July this year, with fighting escalating again across several fronts.

In September, the Houthis advanced across parts of western Yemen, including areas around the strategic port of Mocha. Government-aligned forces have since claimed that they managed to stabilise several frontlines and halt further advances.

Taiz remains strategically important because of its mountainous terrain and its links to key roads connecting different parts of Yemen and the Red Sea coast.

Displacement Adds to Humanitarian Crisis

The renewed fighting is also worsening Yemen’s humanitarian situation. The World Food Programme has warned of severe food insecurity in government-controlled areas, while tens of thousands of people have been displaced by the latest escalation.

With battles continuing across Taiz and key transport routes being closed, the province has once again become one of the central flashpoints in Yemen’s long-running conflict.