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Saudi-Backed Yemeni Forces Halt Houthi Advance in Southwest — AI-generated representative image: Saudi-backed government forces hold a defensive position in Yemen's rugged southwest as fighting continues near the Lahij-Tai

Editorial Team

Government troops push back Ansar Allah militants along the Lahij-Taiz border amid renewed fighting around Taiz and Marib.

Yemen's internationally recognized government has claimed its army stopped an advance by Houthi militants in the southwest of the country, according to reports citing the Saudi-linked Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper. The Houthis reportedly mounted an offensive along the border between Lahij and Taiz governorates on Friday before being pushed back by Saudi-backed troops.

The counteroffensive, supported by airstrikes and artillery fire that disrupted the militants' supply lines, comes amid a broader escalation that began in September when the Iranian-backed Ansar Allah movement seized key Red Sea positions.

The fighting marks the latest flare-up in a conflict that has drawn in regional powers and threatens the strategically vital Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a shipping route connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. The renewed hostilities have also triggered cross-border missile and drone strikes on Saudi Arabia, raising concerns about wider regional instability.

For civilians, the siege of Taiz, Yemen's third-largest city, remains a focal point, with forces loyal to the internationally recognized government trapped inside as Houthi fighters encircle the area.

Latest Battlefield Developments

According to Asharq Al-Awsat, a newspaper with reported close ties to the Saudi royal family, the Houthis launched their offensive along the Lahij-Taiz governorate border on Friday. Saudi-backed troops reportedly pushed back the advancing militants, using airstrikes and artillery fire to disrupt Houthi supply lines before staging a counteroffensive.

Fighting has also continued around the besieged city of Taiz. In the north, conflicting reports emerged over the weekend: on Saturday, the internationally recognized government announced its troops had recaptured positions in al-Jawf governorate, which borders Saudi Arabia. The Houthis countered that they had thwarted advances in the same governorate as well as in neighboring Marib.

Background of the Conflict

The hostilities escalated in September when the Shiite Houthi group seized the strategically important Red Sea port cities of Mocha and Dhubab, along with Perim Island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The Houthis subsequently encircled Taiz, Yemen's third-largest city, leaving government-loyal forces trapped inside.

After the Houthis captured large stretches of Yemen's Red Sea coast and territory around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, government troops mounted a counteroffensive, claiming to have recaptured key positions near the vital shipping route. Riyadh has since stepped up its air support, intensifying strikes on Houthi-held territory.

Yemen has remained locked in civil war since 2014, with the situation further aggravated by a Saudi-led military intervention launched the following year. Large-scale fighting largely subsided following a UN-brokered truce in 2022 but flared up again in July after Saudi-backed government forces struck the Houthi-held Sanaa Airport.

Cross-Border Strikes and Official Statements

In recent weeks, the Houthis have claimed responsibility for multiple missile and drone strikes targeting strategic facilities in Saudi Arabia, including the Ras Tanura oil refinery, King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, and a military installation in the Najran region.

In a statement posted on X last Saturday, Ansar Allah spokesman Yahya Saree said the attacks were retaliation for Saudi airstrikes on Yemen. He warned that strikes on Saudi territory would continue until Riyadh ended what he described as its "aggression" and lifted a blockade imposed on the neighboring country.

Current Status and Outlook

The situation on the ground remains fluid, with government and Houthi accounts of the fighting in al-Jawf and Marib governorates contradicting each other. Independent confirmation of battlefield gains by either side has not yet been established.

As Saudi air support intensifies and the Houthis continue to threaten cross-border strikes, no immediate diplomatic resolution has been announced. Further developments are awaited as both sides press their respective military campaigns.